TURKEY SEEKS TO STRENGTHEN ITS REGIONAL POSITION THROUGH KARABAKH CONFLICT

PanARMENIAN.Net
02.02.2010 20:06 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkish Premier’s statement on OSCE MG’s passivity in
Karabakh settlement issue is untrue, RA NAS Oriental Studies Institute
director, professor Ruben Safrastyan told PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

"OSCE MG is actively working towards Karabakh conflict settlement,"
he noted, adding that the issue is a complicated one and can’t be
settled fast.

"Turkey seeks to strengthen its regional position through Karabakh
conflict. I believe, Ankara’s interference can negatively influence
conflict settlement process and promote militaristic statements
of Azerbaijan."

The conflict between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan broke out in
1988 as result of the ethnic cleansing the latter launched in the
final years of the Soviet Union. The Karabakh War was fought from
1991 to 1994. Since the ceasefire in 1994, sealed by Armenia, NKR and
Azerbaijan, most of Nagorno Karabakh and several regions of Azerbaijan
around it (the security zone) remain under the control of NKR defense
army. Armenia and Azerbaijan are holding peace talks mediated by the
OSCE Minsk Group up till now.