Turkish defense minister says Karabakh frontline tensions mean need for immediate conflict resolution (exclusive)

Baku, Azerbaijan, July 27

By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

The time has come to put an end to the occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and other Azerbaijani lands within the principles of international law, that will ensure stability in the region, Vecdi Gonul, the Turkish minister of national defence, told Trend July 27.

Gonul said the recent developments along the contact line of Azerbaijani and Armenian troops once again prove the need for an immediate settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which is the main obstacle to the establishment of peace and stability in the South Caucasus.

"Stability and peace in the region are possible only in case of liberation of the occupied Azerbaijani territories and the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan," said Gonul.

The minister went on to add that after the end of the "Cold War", the occupation of Azerbaijani lands by Armenia, and namely the Nagorno-Karabakh problem is one of the most important issues on international community's agenda today.

He also added that for Azerbaijan Turkey is an opportunity to reach the West, and for Turkey Azerbaijan is the opportunity to reach the Central Asia.

The minister said this fact has even more strengthened the two countries' fraternal and friendly relations, which are more than one century old.

As Gonul said, for this reason exactly, the Nagorno-Karabakh issue has become as important for Turkey, as it is for Azerbaijan.

He added that Turkey is closely watching the processes related to the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and supports the efforts to resolve it within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group.

Gonul noted that at the multilateral platforms and during dialogue with third countries, Turkey, being a member of the OSCE Minsk Group, always raises the issue of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which as he said is considered Turkey's problem as well.

"But there is the fact that the OSCE Minsk Group hasn't been able to achieve serious progress throughout 20 years in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict's settlement," said the minister.

"Turkey fully supports Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, since the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is one of the most important and priority issues in Ankara's foreign policy," he noted.

"Turkey will continue to support the righteous fight of Azerbaijan and will always keep this issue on the agenda," Gonul further said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently holding peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.