AZERBAIJANI PARLIAMENTARY VICE-SPEAKER URGES TURKEY TO USE PRESSURE LEVERAGES IN KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT

Trend News Agency
Oct 20 2009
Azerbaijan

The Azerbaijani Parliamentary Vice-Speaker urged Turkey to use pressure
leverages in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement.

"One of key tasks of the OSCE Minsk Group is the solution to the
Nagorno-Karabakh problem. The participation of the foreign ministers
of the co-chair countries in the signing ceremony of the Protocols in
Zurich said that they were not interested in a quick solution. The
signing of the protocols has proved that the co-chairs can exert
pressure on Armenia, if necessary. And there is an opportunity to
impact on Turkey. However, we do not see the mechanism of pressure in
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," First Vice-Speaker of the Parliament,
Ziyafat Asgarov said at the meeting on Oct. 20.

Turkish and Armenian Foreign Ministers, Ahmet Davutoglu and Edward
Nalbandian signed the Ankara-Yerevan protocol in Zurich on Oct. 10.

Armenian-Turkish ties have been severed since 1993 due to Armenia’s
claims of an alleged genocide, and the country’s occupation of 20
percent of Azerbaijani lands.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. –
are currently holding the peace negotiations.

Azerbaijani Parliamentarian, Iqbal Aghazade suggested to discuss
in closed session of Parliament the current situation related to
the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and processes in
the region.

"During a private meeting, the relevant agencies should submit a
report on the current situation", said Aghazade.

Azerbaijan is not conducted the anti-Turkish campaign, said Ali
Ahmadov, deputy chairman of ruling New Azerbaijan Party (NAP).

"This campaign is launched against the signing of the protocols. The
Azerbaijani-Turkish relations – this is not the relations between
governments. These relationships can never be destroyed," said the
deputy chairman of the NAP.