Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 29
By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:
Azerbaijan can always count on any support of Turkey, Turkish Ambassador to Azerbaijan Ismail Alper Coskun told Trend.
The diplomat said that Azerbaijan and Turkey resolve many issues together.
"Of course, the most important of these issues is the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," he 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 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.
"It is necessary to take into account that the continuation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in this form is impossible," he said. "The reason is that the occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding areas is always a source of potential threat."
"No matter what happens, Turkey always treats Azerbaijan and the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, proceeding from Mustafa Kemal Ataturk's principle "Joy of Azerbaijan is our joy, its pain is our pain!," he said.
The diplomat said that at the same time, Turkey considers the Nagorno-Karabakh issue as part of international law.
"No one can deny the occupation of Azerbaijani lands by Armenia and the fact of aggression," he said.
"First of all, it is necessary to cease the occupation to resolve the problem," he said. "The sides must demonstrate the will to solve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The side, which occupied other country's territory, must first demonstrate this will. The international community must also make Armenia demonstrate this will."
Coskun said Azerbaijan has already shown its will by holding continuous discussions and negotiations on the peaceful settlement of the conflict.
Reminding that during the UN session Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan touched upon the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, the diplomat said that Turkey will continue to raise this issue at all international events.
The ambassador said Turkey aims to prevent any hostility, conflict and mutual hatred while determining the future of the region, adding that Turkey and Azerbaijan intend to make every effort to ensure the region's development.
"These initiatives of Azerbaijan and Turkey may be beneficial for Iran, Russia and Armenia, if it abandons its aggressive policy. But unfortunately, instead of realizing this, Armenian leadership blindly continues its aggressive policy and pursues a policy of denigration of Turkey and Azerbaijan." he said. "With all this, Armenia ties to present itself as a miserable, resentful state."
Coskun said today a lot of problems are discussed in the world, and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict may seem not so serious, compared to the Syrian conflict and the crisis in Iraq.
"The Nagorno-Karabakh problem shouldn't be regarded as a frozen conflict, as the region may face the most serious problems at any time," Coskun added.
The ambassador said Turkey is ready to make every effort to maintain Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, to restore peace and stability in the region. "I believe the international community can't demand more from Turkey in this issue."
Edited by SI