TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Sept 29 2007

US State Secretary for Improving Armenian-Turkish Relations

Azerbaijan, Baku / Trend corr. E.Huseynli / Assistant Secretary of
State, OSCE Minsk Group co-chair Matthew J. Bryza considers
regulation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh
and improving of the Armenian-Turkish relations will strengthen ties
between Azerbaijan and Turkey.

`I am ready to do my best to settle the Karabakh conflict and to
improve the Turkish-Armenian relations. Resolution of these issues
will strengthen ties between Azerbaijan and Turkey,’ Matthew J.Bryza
said in the interview to the Turkish NTV channel.

The conflict between the two countries of South Caucasus began in
1988 due to territorial claims by Armenia against Azerbaijan. Armenia
has occupied 20% of the Azerbaijani land including the
Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven surrounding Districts. Since
1992, these territories have been under the occupation of the
Armenian Forces. In 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire
agreement at which time the active hostilities ended. The Co-chairs
of the OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia, France and USA) are currently
holding peaceful negotiations.

Armenia occupied 20% of the Azerbaijani territories and lodges
territorial complaints against Turkey. Turkey is the ally and
strategic partner of Azerbaijan and has no diplomatic relations with
Armenia and has been closed its boundaries since 1990s. Turkey stated
three conditions before Armenia for regulation of the relations, to
stop territorial complaints against Turkey, to withdraw troops from
the Azerbaijani occupied territories, as well as not to raise the
issue concerning recognition of the Armenian genocide in 1915 and
1918 by the Ottoman Empire on the international arena.

`The US positively accepts the steps directed to improving of
relations between Turkey and Armenia. It would be better if Armenia
and Turkey make efforts to normalize economic and diplomatic
relations,’ Bryza said.

`I understand the difficulty of these issues as I am the OSCE Minsk
Group co-chairman on regulation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict
over Nagorno-Karabakh,’ Bryza added.