Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 29
By Orkhan Quluzade – Trend:
Turkey supports the fair settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, taking a common position with Azerbaijan, Ahmet Arslan, Turkish minister of transport, shipping and communications, said in an exclusive interview with Trend November 29.
Arslan said that Turkey and Azerbaijan are two states, but one nation.
"According to this principle, Ankara and Baku have strategic relations and these relations are constantly developing," the minister said.
“Turkey and Azerbaijan always support each other as part of all international platforms,” Arslan said, adding that that Ankara is pleased with this fact.
"Turkey and Azerbaijan will actively cooperate in the future, which is important for our countries and peoples," he added.
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 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 the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.