TURKEY MAKES STATEMENT ON "PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS" IN NAGORNO KARABAKH

Azeri Press Agency
July 17 2007

Turkey will not recognize the so-called presidential elections to
be held by Armenia in the occupied Azerbaijani territories – Nagorno
Karabakh, Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a statement condemning the
"presidential elections" in Nagorno Karabakh scheduled for July 19,
APA’s Turkey bureau reports.

The statement says that these "elections" violates international
law norms, and the invaders try to tense the situation by taking
these steps.

"The elections in the occupied Nagorno Karabakh aim at legalizing
the occupation and contradict the UN Security Council’s resolutions
and OSCE decisions. The Nagorno Karabakh conflict impedes peace,
stability and cooperation in the South Caucasus. Conducting
"presidential elections" in Nagorno Karabakh while the conflicting
parties Azerbaijan and Armenia continue negotiations by OSCE Minsk
Group’s mediation should be regarded as ignoring these talks. Turkey
regards these elections as a fact of violation of Azerbaijan’s
sovereignty and territorial integrity, states that these elections
will be considered as null and void and will not recognize the results
of these ‘elections’," the statement concludes.