TURKEY SUPPORTS NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT PEACE SETTLEMENT WITH MINSK GROUP’S MEDIATION: TURKEY’S FOREIGN MINISTER

Trend News Agency
Aug 4 2008
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, Baku, 4 August /Trend News corr. S.Ilhamgizi/ Turkey’s
Foreign Minister Ali Babajan stated his country supports the mediation
of Minsk Group on settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

"We support peace settlement with the co-chairmanship of the United
States, Russia and France," Babajan said at a press conference in
Ankara on 4 August.

Babajan did not answer whether ongoing occupation of Azerbaijani
territory by Armenia would affect Turkey’s admission to the European
Union. He mentioned there is another format of settlement of the
conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia, i.e. Minsk Group’s work.

Minister said Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev and Armenia’s Serzh
Sargsyan negotiated in June. Babajan hoped for progress to result
from the negotiations.

"Demographic structure of the region and the events which has taken
place in recent five-ten years must be taken into account during
settling of the conflict. We support peace settlement of the Karabakh
conflict with the mediation of the Minsk Group and hope the countries
will achieve an agreement," said Babajan.