RAPPROCHEMENT BETWEEN TURKEY AND RUSSIA CAN POSITIVELY AFFECT NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT: FORMER ANALYST OF TURKISH NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE ORGANIZATION

Journal of Turkish Weekly
Aug 6 2009

Former analyst of the Turkish National Intelligence Organization
considers that rapprochement between Turkey and Russia can positively
affect the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement.

"I think that Erdogan and Putin will discuss the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict behind closed doors and rapprochement between Turkey and
Russia can positively affect the solution of the conflict," former
analyst of the Turkish National Intelligence Organization, Mahir
Kaynak, told Trend News by telephone from Ankara on August 6.

The Prime Minister of Russia Vladimir Putin is on a visit to Turkey
today, Turkish CIHAN news agency reported.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan
lost all of Nagorno-Karabakh except for Shusha and Khojali in December
1991. In 1992-93, Armenian armed forces occupied Shusha, Khojali and 7
districts surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed
a ceasefire in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia,
France, and the U.S. – are currently holding the peace negotiations.

Kaynak considers that non-settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
is an obstacle for Turkey’s policy in Caucasus.

Turkey proposed to establish Caucasus Stability and Cooperation
Platform to ensure stability and cooperation in the Caucasus on the
backdrop of the Georgia-Russia conflict in Aug. 2008.

"Turkey’s balanced policy towards Azerbaijan and Armenia in Caucasus
is accepted by both sides with jealousness," Kaynak said. He considers
that Turkey’s success in its Caucasus policy is possible only after
the solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

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