Iran stands for opening of Armenian-Turkish border

February 19, 2010 - 14:04 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net -
Iran stands for opening of the Armenian-Turkish border, Iranian Ambassador to RA said.

“We wish Armenia normalized relations both with Turkey and Azerbaijan. Iran will back up any initiative for establishment of peace and stability in the region,” Ambassador Seyed Ali Saghaeyan told reporters in Yerevan. “Official Tehran has always supported peace talks in the OSCE Minsk Group format,” he said.

As to deployment of peacekeeping forces in the Karabakh conflict zone, the Ambassador said that Iran, as a country bordering to Karabakh, has its own stand on the issue.

Touching upon the Armenian-Iranian cooperation, Ambassador Saghaeyan emphasized that a number of joint projects, including construction of Iran-Armenia railroad and highway, hydropower plant in Meghri, an oil pipeline and liquid fuel terminal, are being implemented. “Iran is resolute to develop and strengthen relations with Armenia,” he said.

Asked to comment on validity of Armenian-issued diplomas in Iran, the Ambassador said this problem will be discussed during the upcoming visit of Armenian Minister of Education and Science Armen Ashotyan to Tehran.

Finally, assessing the probability of US attack on Iran, Ambassador Saghaeyan said “it’s unlikely due to the state of affairs in Afghanistan and Iraq.”

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.

The OSCE Minsk Group

The OSCE Minsk Group was created in 1992 to encourage a peaceful, negotiated resolution to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. The Minsk Group is headed by a Co-Chairmanship consisting of France, Russia and the United States. The main objectives of the Minsk Process are as follows: Providing an appropriate framework for conflict resolution in the way of assuring the negotiation process supported by the Minsk Group; Obtaining conclusion by the Parties of an agreement on the cessation of the armed conflict in order to permit the convening of the Minsk Conference; Promoting the peace process by deploying OSCE multinational peacekeeping forces.