TURKISH, AZERBAIJANI TO WAGE FRIENDLY FOREIGN POLICIES: OIC SECRETARY GENERAL

Trend
Nov 11 2009
Azerbaijan

The Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) secretary general thinks
that Turkish and Azerbaijani foreign policies will be outlined with
mutual consent.

"As a Turkish citizen I think we have unbreakable ties with the
Azerbaijani people," OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu told
media in Baku today. "I realized that long ago. I have been observing
it since 1970. I think Turkish and Azerbaijani foreign policies will
be conducted with mutual consent. Neither Turkey nor Azerbaijan will
give up each other’s interests. One should not create conditions that
cause provocations."

Turkish and Armenian foreign ministers Ahmet Davutoglu and Edward
Nalbandian signed the Ankara-Yerevan protocols in Zurich Oct. 10.

Diplomatic relations between Armenia and Turkey have been broken due
to Armenia’s claims of an alleged genocide, and its occupation of
Azerbaijani lands. The border between them has been broken since 1993.

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 seven 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
peace negotiations.