Azerbaijan, Baku, July 18 / Trend, R.Hafizoglu/
According to the Turkish Foreign Ministry's statement, the fact of holding the so-called elections in Nagorno-Karabakh is contrary to obligations taken before the OSCE and the UN Security Council's decisions, Turkish Foreign Ministry's official website reported on Wednesday.
The continued occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh is a serious obstacle to stability and tranquility in the South Caucasus, the statement says.
"Turkey, which always supports Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, strongly condemns these illegal "elections" and does not accept their results," the statement says.
The so-called presidential elections will be held in separatist Nagorno-Karabakh on July 19, independence of which is not recognized by any country in the world.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France and the U.S. - are currently holding peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.