TURK PM SAYS PROCESS TO FORM A CAUCASAIN UNION TO START NEXT WEEK

Hurriyet
Friday, August 15, 2008 14:44
Turkey

Turkish and Russian foreign ministers would meet next week to kick-off
the process to form the "Caucasus Stability and Cooperation Platform"
process next week, Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said on
Thursday. (UPDATED)

Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan would meet his Russian counterpart
Segei Lavrov next week to start the process, Erdogan told a press
conference in Bodrum resort town in Western Turkey after returning
from his recent visits to Russia and Georgia.

Erdogan said he conveyed to the all parties the efforts for a
"Caucasus Stability and Cooperation Platform" which would include
Russia and Georgia.

He said the platform attached importance to regional peace and
security, and included economic cooperation and energy safety.

The Turkish prime minister said Georgia also welcomed such a platform,
and added the process will continue with the participation of this
country.

Erdogan said Turkey also wanted Azerbaijan to participate in this
platform, adding he believed the participation of Armenia would also
greatly contribute to regional peace.

"Of course the Minsk process is ongoing in the region. The United
States, Russia and France are the primary executives of this
process. But no conclusion has been reached in this process which has
taken nearly 13 years. We want this process to be accelerated… The
solution of the Nagorno-Karabak conflict will also end the problems
between Azerbaijan and Armenia," Erdogan said.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the outcome of the occupation of
Azerbaijani territories by Armenia, stands as the principal obstacle to
the political stability, economic development and regional cooperation
in the Southern Caucasus. The conflict is also responsible for the
deplorable situation of the nearly one million refugees and internally
displaced persons in Azerbaijan.

The Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe is a body co-headed by Russia, the United States and France
and appointed to mediate in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.