news.az, Azerbaijan
Dec 5 2009

Armenia should take a necessary step, Turkish PM
Sat 05 December 2009 | 05:50 GMT Text size:

Recep Tayyip Erdogan Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Ankara’s
position in the Karabakh issue remains unchanged.

"Nagorno-Karabakh is our bleeding wound. It is necessary to heal this
wound", said Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan before the
official visit to the United States. He noted that Ankara’s position
in the Karabakh issue remains unchanged and both the United States and
Russia know this.

As for ratification of protocols to open borders with Armenia in the
Turkish Grand National Assembly, it will depend on Armenia’s
constructiveness in demonstrating its position on the Karabakh
conflict.

"We have a clear solution on this issue. At present, these cases are
on the agenda in the parliament. These two issues are closely bound.
There will be no progress in this issue unless the Karabakh conflict
is resolved. Everyone in the parliament have the same position on
this issue"

In addition to the abovementioned, Erdogan added the Turkish political
powers have the same opinion about this issue:

"I have repeatedly said that the OSCE Minsk Group should be more
determined on this issue. Steps should be taken. UN has stated that
Nagorno Karabakh belongs to Azerbaijan. In this case, who should make
the necessary step? The necessary step should be made by Armenia. When
we say that the conflict is settled, this means the moment of reaching
an agreement on 7 regions and thereby resolving the problem’. Erdogan
said it would provide an opportunity not to overload the checkpoint in
Nakhchivan:

"In this case, the chances to get to Turkey will grow. But if all
these problems are not resolved, Turkey would not take a positive step
towards Armenia.

Erdogan said his country is continuing efforts to resolve the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. To do this, Turkey is working with the
South Caucasus countries, but at the same time they believe that the
United States, France and Russia, who are members of the OSCE Minsk
Group, have a decisive position on this issue.

ANS PRESS