The Azerbaijani Ambassador to Turkey, Zakir Hashimov, informed Trendthat Turkey has announced that it does not recognize the results of the referendum held on December 10 in Nagorno-Karabakh, a province of Azerbaijan under Armenian occupation.
A statement by Turkish MFA indicated that "international laws were ignored" in the referendum held for adoption of the "Nagorno-Karabakh Republic's Constitution".
"At the end of the referendum, the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan was defined as the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and as a sovereign, democratic, legitimate, social state," the statement noted. The statement also pointed out that Turkey considers this vote as "a proof of the Armenian occupation of the Azerbaijani territory which is against international laws."
In the statement, the MFA condemns this act which is a new violation of Azerbaijan's political unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity by Armenia.
Noting that more than one million Azerbaijani have become refugees in their own country due to the invasion, the statement said, "it is obvious that this move to hold a `constitutional referendum` in the Nagorno-Karabakh region is one that ignores efforts to find a peaceful solution (to the problem)."
The Turkish MFA also called on the international community to condemn, and not to recognize the results of the so-called referendum.