Turkish FM links rapprochement with Armenia to Karabakh settlement

PanARMENIAN.Net - Normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations is impossible without the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, Turkish Foreign Minister said Friday, January 15.

In response to a question on relations with neighboring countries, Mevlut Cavusoglu said Armenia has “occupied” 20% of Azerbaijan’s territory, Tert.am reports citing Haberler.

According to the Minister, the Nagorno Karabakh conflict concerns Turkey too.

Armenia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan said earlier that President Ilham Alliyev’s remarks, suggesting that the meeting with his Armenian counterpart was a “formality,” show Azeri authorities’ attitude to negotiations.

That is why no progress has been registered in the Karabakh conflict settlement process during all these years, he noted.

For peace efforts to succeed, the official said, progress in the parties’ approaches, rather than activation of the process, is necessary.

According to Kocharyan, the mediators - OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs - strive for progress and more frequent meetings. But if all the talks suffer the same fate as those in Bern, Switzerland, he stressed, no progress can be expected. The Deputy Minister said this issue should make the mediators and the international community once again analyze the situation as it won’t lead to any positive outcome.