By Rashid Shirinov
Appropriate steps have been taken in relation to four citizens of Turkey who violated the Azerbaijani border and illegally visited Nagorno-Karabakh.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said this in his interview with Report on October 19.
He reminded that without informing the Foreign Ministry of Turkey, these persons illegally visited the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan.
"Naturally, we gave relevant warning to these people and took appropriate steps. Also we have prepared and spread a general warning on not visiting the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region in future without the permission of the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan," the minister said.
He added that Turkey has always maintained sensitivity on this issue.
"No Turk should visit the Nagorno-Karabakh region which is under occupation. An issue sensitive for Azerbaijan is sensitive for us too. As the late President Heydar Aliyev said, we are ‘one nation, and two states,’ and if we say ‘the joy of Azerbaijan is our joy, the sorrow of Azerbaijan is our sorrow’, then our approach to what is happening should be univocal," Cavusoglu noted.
Being without documents and not getting any consent from relevant executive authorities, four Turks Ufuk Uras, Ali Bayramoglu, Said Cekinoglu and Erol Katircioglu illegally crossed the internationally recognized borders of Azerbaijan on September 22. The Grave Crimes Investigation Department of Azerbaijan’s Prosecutor General's Office filed a criminal case under Criminal Code’s Article 318.2 (illegally crossing Azerbaijan’s state borders) against them.
The Turkish citizens deliberately traveled from territory of Armenia and illegally arrived in occupied Khankendi and other settlements of the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. They were declared in the international wanted list. Azerbaijan also sent an appeal to the Turkish law enforcement agencies in order to detain the four citizens.
Baku has repeatedly warned foreign officials and diplomats of illegality of visits to its territories that are occupied by Armenia, calling them contradictory to international law. The work is constantly carried out to prevent such illegal actions.