Turkish Foreign Ministers calls on Astana to contribute to Karabakh conflict resolution

February 12, 2010 - 21:19 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net -
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Kazakhstan might step in for the solution of Nagorno Karabakh conflict, as the chair of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

Davutoglu, who is on an official visit to Kazakhstan, said he discussed the issue with his Kazakh counterpart Kanat Saudabayev and Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev.

“As far as I know Mr. Saudabayev will be visiting both Baku and Yerevan in the days to come. We communicated our position to them. Kazakhstan may make significant contributions regarding the Karabakh issue," Davutoglu said.

“Turkey will support all measures taken toward the establishment of peace,” he said, Anatolian News Agency reported.

The conflict between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan

The conflict between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan broke out as result of the ethnic cleansing launched by the Azeri authorities in the final years of the Soviet Union. The Karabakh War was fought from 1991 (when the Nagorno Karabakh Republic was proclaimed) to 1994 (when a ceasefire was sealed by Armenia, NKR and Azerbaijan). Most of Nagorno Karabakh and a security zone consisting of 7 regions are now under control of NKR defense army. Armenia and Azerbaijan are holding peace talks mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group up till now.

OSCE

The world\'s biggest regional organization dealing with security issues, OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe) unites 56 countries situated in North America, Europe and Central Asia.\r\n\r\nIts member state are: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France Great Britain, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Macedonia, Malta¸ Moldova, Monaco Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Roumania, San-Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United States, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vatican.\r\n\r\nPartner countries include: Afghanistan, Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Marocco, Mongolia, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia.\r\n\r\nArmenia became an OSCE member state on January 30, 1992.