BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 3. Türkiye, together with Azerbaijan, wanted to normalize relations with Armenia, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told NTV channel, Trend reports.
According to Cavusoglu, Azerbaijan offered peace [to Armenia], which is a sign of sincerity.
"Armenia cannot accept the fact that Azerbaijan has liberated its lands from 30 years of occupation. It constantly transfers weapons to Karabakh, creating tension. Azerbaijan is taking steps against this,” Cavusoglu noted.
“We are always with Azerbaijan. We have taken steps towards normalizing relations with Armenia having held consultations with Azerbaijan," he added.
Earlier, Turkish Minister of National Defense Hulusi Akar noted that relations between Türkiye and Armenia depend on Azerbaijan-Armenia relations. He said that Armenia must accept the hand of peace and friendship extended to it, and also added that Türkiye supports steps to normalize relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Following over a month of military action to liberate its territories from Armenian occupation from late Sept. to early Nov. 2020, Azerbaijan has pushed Armenia to sign the surrender document. A trilateral statement on the matter was signed by Azerbaijani, Armenian and Russian leaders.
In order to prevent the transportation of manpower, ammunition, mines, as well as other military equipment from Armenia for illegal Armenian armed groups on the territory of Azerbaijan, and as an adequate response to the unilateral establishment of a checkpoint by Armenia on the border with Azerbaijan on April 22 at the entrance to the Lachin-Khankendi road contrary to the trilateral statement of November 10, 2020, on April 23 at 12:00 (GMT+4), the units of the State Border Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan set up a border checkpoint in its sovereign territories, on the border with Armenia, at the beginning of the Lachin-Khankendi road.