Cavusoglu: Turkey to continue paying special attention to Karabakh issue

BAKU, Azerbaijan, Jan. 30

Trend:

Turkey continues to make efforts towards finding ways to resolve the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said at a meeting with representatives of the International Federation of Journalists in Ankara, Trend reports Jan. 30.

The minister stressed that the Turkish side will pay special attention to the Karabakh issue this year as well.

“If Russia uses its influence in this issue, we will solve it,” Cavusoglu 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, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts.