AZERBAIJANI AND TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTERS DISCUSS SITUATION IN CAUCASUS
Trend News Agency
Sept 10 2008
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan, Baku, 10 September/ TrendNews, corr R. Novruzov/ Foreign
ministers of Azerbaijan and Turkey Elmar Mammadyarov and Ali Babacan
discussed situation in Caucasus over telephone conversation on 10
September.
Turkish foreign minister informed his Azerbaijani counterpart of
the recent visit of Turkish President Abdullah Gul to Yerevan and of
his own talks with the Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan,
reported TrendNews quoting Turkish media.
Babacan once again expressed Turkey’s support for Azerbaijan.
Turkish foreign minister said that talks on this issue will be
continued within the 63rd session of UN General Assembly to be held
in mid-September in New York.
Azerbaijani foreign minister approved initiative of holding meeting
of foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, Turkey and Armenia in New York.
The conflict between the two countries of the South Caucasus began
in 1988 due to Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Since
1992, Armenian Armed Forces have occupied 20% of Azerbaijan including
the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven surrounding districts. 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 the US) are currently holding peaceful
negotiations.