TURKEY EXPECTS KAZAKHSTAN’S OSCE ROLE OVER KARABAKH ISSUE

Feb 12 2010
Turkey

Davutoglu said Kazakhstan might step in for the solution of the Upper ,
as the chair of OSCE.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Kazakhstan might step
in for the solution of the Upper , as the chair of the Organization
for Security and Co-operation in Europe(OSCE).

Davutoglu who is on an official visit to Kazakhstan told AA that
he was confident that Kazakhstan would take important steps for the
solution of the Upper Karabakh issue between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Davutoglu said they discussed the issue with his Kazakh counterpart
Kanat Saudabayev and Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev.

"As far as I know Mr. Saudabayev will be visiting both Baku and
Yerivan in the days to come. We communicated our position to them.

Kazakhstan may make significant contributions regarding Upper Karabakh
issue. We are hopeful about the term ahead" said Davutoglu.

Referring to the remarks made by Armenian President Serzh Sargsian at
a conference in London, refusing to take any steps for the solution
of the Upper Karabakh issue, and calling on Turkey to reveal its
intention, Davutoglu said Turkey’s made its intention clear to all
parties.

"Turkey will support all steps taken toward the establishment of
peace," said Davutoglu.

Sargsian had said during his address at a conference Wednesday in
London that Turkey set forth the Upper Karabakh issue as a precondition
for the approval of the normalisation protocols with Armenia, adding
that such an attitude jeopardised both the Upper Karabakh issue and
the normalisation of relations with Turkey.

"Mediation on Iran"

Commenting on the recent raw between Iran and the international
community, Davutoglu said he wanted to visit Iran next Tuesday,
signalling a Turkish initiative for mediation.

"We are ready to do everything within our reach for overcoming the
current tension through peaceful means," said Davutoglu.

Davutoglu who also commented on the Cyprus issue reiterated Turkey’s
stance in support of a lasting solution, said they did not want
settlement talks to be interrupted.