TURKEY WANTS OSCE TO STEP UP KARABAKH MEDIATION

news.az
May 14 2010
Azerbaijan

Turkey is keen to see the OSCE, and Russia in particular, increase
efforts to find a solution to the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict
over Karbakh.

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu took the opportunity to restate these
views at a press conference in Ankara yesterday with visiting Slovak
foreign minister, Miroslav Lajcak.

‘We expect more active steps from the OSCE Minsk Group to resolve
the Karabakh conflict,’ Davutoglu said. He added that Ankara hoped
Moscow would become more active in finding a Karabakh resolution.

‘Several meetings were held last year between the presidents of
Azerbaijan and Armenia, Ilham Aliyev and Serzh Sargsyan, as a result
of the initiatives of Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev. President
Gul and Prime Minister Erdogan discussed this issue with Medvedev in
Ankara and this issue was on our agenda. I have also discussed this
issue with [Russian Foreign Minister] Mr Lavrov,’ he said.

The Turkish foreign minister said that the interests of Turkey and
Russia in the Caucasus region coincided and the establishment of
peace there would be favourable for Turkey and Russia as well as for
the international community.

‘We want these frozen conflicts to be settled and mutual distrust to
be overcome,’ Davutoglu said.