Erdogan hopes for Russian support in Karabakh issue?

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has discussed the Nagorno Karabakh problem in weekend talks with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, as Ankara seeks to normalize its ties with Yerevan without alienating Azerbaijan, Today's Zaman reported.



"Turkey and Russia have responsibilities in the region. We have to take steps for the peace and wellbeing of the region," Erdogan said at a joint news conference with Putin in Sochi on Saturday. "This includes the Nagorno Karabakh problem, the Middle East dispute, the Cyprus problem," he added.



Erdogan has also been urging Russia, as well as the United States and France, which co-chair the Minsk Group, to step up efforts for settlement.



"Russia and Turkey seek for such problems to be resolved and will facilitate this in every possible way," his Russian counterpart said.



However, he emphasized that a compromise on Karabakh should be found by the parties to conflict themselves.



"Other states which help reach a compromise in this aspect can play a role of mediators and guarantors to implement the signed agreements," Putin said.