TURKISH FM: OSCE MG MUST STRENGTHEN ITS ROLE

Trend
Feb 15 2010
Azerbaijan

The issue of enhancing OSCE Minsk Group’s role in resolution of the
Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was one of the main
topics of the discussions among Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and U.S. Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton in Qatar, CNN Turk reported referring to diplomatic
sources.

At the meeting, which mainly focused on Tehran’s enrichment of uranium
to 20-percent, the Turkish side has also touched the situation in
the Caucasus. Davutoglu pointed to the need to strengthen the OSCE
Minsk Group’s role in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. –
are currently holding the peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh region and the
occupied territories.

Erdogan also raised the issue of the Turkish-Armenian reconciliation.

According to him, the Armenian Constitutional Court’s amendments to the
protocols signed between Ankara and Yerevan, could adversely affect the
incipient process of normalization of the bilateral relations. Turkey,
in turn, is making every effort to establish diplomatic relations
between the countries, Erdogan added.

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

After signing of the protocols, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan has repeatedly stated that the further development of relations
between the two countries is directly linked to the solution of
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, despite the absence of the item in
the protocols.

Jan.12, 2009, the Armenian Constitutional Court approved the
compliance of the Ankara-Yerevan protocols with the Armenian
Constitution. However, after the approval the court reported that
creation of a joint commission to study the 1915 events is unnecessary
and Armenian will never refuse from the demand to recognize the
genocide.