Davutoglu’s statement on Azeri attacks at NKR border racist – FM

PanARMENIAN.Net - Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian deemed Armenia’s decision to ban Turkey from OSCE Minsk Group format correct.

“Past 20 years showed that Turkey is biased and hampers Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement,” Minister Nalbandian said, stressing Turkey’s reaction to recent Azeri attacks at the contact line.

“Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu’s statement, voicing concerns over Azeri soldiers’ deaths on border with Armenia and Artsakh, demonstrate his racist approach to the issue. He never expressed concern when Armenian servicemen were killed by Azeris,” he said.

“While international community condemns the recent violent incidents, urging to refrain from use of force, Turkish statement provokes new Azeri attacks. Turkey tries to pin Azerbaijan’s blame on other parties, wondering why the progress in Karabakh settlement basic principles was not achieved during Kazan meeting,” Armenian Minister said.

The summit between Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia in Kazan on June 24, 2011 completed without an agreement on basic principles of Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement. “The countries’ leaders registered mutual understanding on a range of problems, the resolution of which boosts creation of conditions for approving main principles. The meeting participants considered the course of works carried out with the aim of coordination of the project with basic principles,” according to the statement. The Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan expressed gratitude to the Russian, French and U.S. leaders, the OSCE Minsk group co-chairs, for ‘their constant attention to Nagorno-Karabakh problem’ and highly praised personal efforts of the Russian President in support of agreements.

Later on Minister of Foreign Affairs Edward Nalbanian noted that the meeting was not a breakthrough, as Azerbaijan proved unready to accept the final version of the basic principles suggested by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs. Instead, the Azerbaijani leader attempted to impose 10 new proposals, thus precluding the possibility of any agreement on the issue,” he added.