ISTANBUL TO HOST CONFERENCE OF PARLIAMENT SPEAKERS OF TURKIC SPEAKING STATES
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Trend News Agency
24.10.08 14:43
Azerbaijan
Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek, 24 October/ TrendNews, corr R. Mashadihasanli/
The conference of the parliament speakers of the Turkic speaking
states will be held on 20-21 November in Istanbul, Ibrahim Hasgur,
chairman of Turkey-Kyrgyzstan inter-parliamentary friendship group
and member of Turkish delegation to Kyrgyzstan led by the chairman
of the Turkish parliament Koksal Toptan, said to TrendNews.
On 22 March 2008, an agreement was reached by Azerbaijan, Turkey,
Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan to establish Parliamentary Assembly of
the Turkic speaking states and an intention protocol was signed in
Antalia. Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan refused to join the parliamentary
assembly. Talks are held with these counties on this issue.
Ways of resolution of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will be discussed in
Istanbul conference of the Turkic speaking states, Hasgur said.
"Nagorno-Karabakh problem is not only problem of Azerbaijan, but
also the states in the region. The establishment of the parliamentary
assembly also aims at addressing problems together and strengthening
relations. Turkey’s efforts to establish peace and stability in the
Caucasus will certainly yield results," Hasgur said.
The conflict between the two countries of the South Caucasus began in
1988 due to Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan
lost the Nagorno-Karabakh, except of Shusha and Khojali, in December
1991. In 1992-93, Armenian Armed Forces occupied Shusha, Khojali and
Nagorno-Karabakh’s seven surrounding regions. In 1994, Azerbaijan
and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which time the active
hostilities ended. The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Russia,
France, and the US) are currently holding peaceful, but fruitless
negotiations.