Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Dec 30 2009

Turkey urges Armenia to resolve problems with Azerbaijan

Turkey urged Yerevan to resolve Upper Karabakh dispute with Azerbaijan
in order to help establish stability in the Caucasus.

"Normalization of relations between Turkey and Armenia is not enough,"
Turkish foreign ministry spokesman Burak Ã-zügergin told a press
briefing on Wednesday. "If Armenia does not resolve Upper Karabakh
dispute with Azerbaijan, stability in the Caucasus can not be
established. This is quite clear."

Turkey and Armenia signed two protocols in October 2009 to normalize
ties and reopen their borders but Turkey insists that Armenia has to
settle dispute with Azerbaijan. The Upper Karabakh region has been
under Armenian occupation since a 1994 cease-fire which followed a
six-year war between Azerbaijan and Armenia. The region is
internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan.

Ã-zügergin recalled that protocols were sent to Turkish Parliament to
be ratified, adding that the parliament would decide what to do next.

Armenian government had sent the protocols to country’s constitutional
court and the court is expected to discuss them in the first half of
January, he stated.

Azeri and Armenian officials are also in talks for months to settle
the dispute. Presidents of the two countries have so far met five
times to discuss the issue.

"They will meet once again in January. I think there is a progress," he said.

30 December 2009, Wednesday
THE ANATOLIA NEWS AGENCY ANKARA