Trend, Azerbaijan
March 19 2010

Turkish FM not rules out possible resolving of Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict

If Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia were able to restore their
relations after a full-scale war, it means that there is a chance to
establish peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Hurriyet newspaper
reported quoting Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.

The war between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia was a much large
than the Nagorno-Karabakh one. As a result, the parties could agree to
normalize relations and, hence, there is a chance to restore relations
between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Turkish minister said.

Davutoglu said that Armenia continues to accuse Turkey of supporting
Azerbaijan and refuses to discuss resolving of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict with Ankara.

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
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh region and the
occupied territories.