Details added (first version posted on 16:23)
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 15
By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:
Azerbaijan has once again proved its brotherly relations to Turkey, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said during a joint statement with the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev in Ankara.
Erdogan made the remarks at the fifth meeting of the Turkey-Azerbaijan High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council held in Ankara, March 15.
"I am grateful to the president of Azerbaijan," said Erdogan.
"Turkey has been proud of Azerbaijan's success throughout 25 years since it gained independence," said Erdogan, adding that Turkey, as before, will support Azerbaijan in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
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 US are currently holding peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council's four resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Erdogan also said that a number of issues in the sphere of energy and defense were discussed during the meeting with the president of Azerbaijan.
In addition, regional issues were also discussed, Erdogan said, adding that six documents were signed within the framework of the meeting.
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