Trend, Azerbaijan
April 18 2010
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Turkey won’t open its border with Armenia while Azerbaijani lands’
occupation continues – Erdogan
18.04.2010 20:58

Turkey will not open its border with Armenia while it continues to
occupy Azerbaijani lands, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said
Sunday to Turkish ATV channel, the newspaper Sabah reported.

"The reason for closing of our borders in 1993 was the occupation of
Azerbaijani lands. As long as the occupation persists, we will not
open our borders", Erdogan said.

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.