Turkey as a possible mediator of Nagorno-Karabakh settlement

By Azernews

By Rashid Shirinov

Following the long-lasting negotiation process on the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which is ongoing since early 1990s but still a failure to achieve a notable progress, it seems essential to make some changes in the format of negotiations. And the recent statement of Russia’s Foreign Minister about possible involvement of Turkey to resolve the problem is worth attraction.

“The fact that Turkey can play a positive role by ensuring the settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, ensuring normal economic cooperation in the region, is such an important factor that we always consider it,” Russia’s FM Sergey Lavrov told reporters in Yerevan on October 14.

The statement immediately received a positive echo from Turkey, as Turkey’s Foreign Ministry appreciated this possibility. “Ankara appreciates the statement by Lavrov on the possibility for Turkey to play a positive role in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict’s settlement,” he said.

Turkey has repeatedly voiced its desire to comntriburte to peace and stability in the region. “Turkey supports Azerbaijan in this issue and advocates a solution to this problem in the framework of territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan,” the Turkish ministry said, noting the unconstructive position of Armenia in the conflict.

The soonest settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem, of course, could lead to normalization of Armenia-Turkey relations, which have considerably deteriorated due to Armenia's so-called “genocide” claims against Turkey and occupation of Azerbaijani territories. That was the  very reason due to which the Turkish-Armenian border is closed since early 1990s. Turkey has repeatedly stressed that the Ankara-Yerevan normalization of ties is impossible without the liberation of the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.

In general, Turkey, as member of the OSCE Minsk Group, has always been for establishment of contacts between the conflicting sides. Earlier, addressing the PACE, Cavusoglu called on the OSCE Minsk Group to intensify its efforts to find a solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The effiecint activity of the OSCE Minsk Group is a frequent debate in Azerbaijani political circles, as no essential progress has been recorded so far to move forward in the peace process. After the last meetings of Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents in May and June definite in activity is eing observed in the negotiations, while the next meeting of presidents to discuss the problem is yet to be determined.

In this context, Russia seems to take into hands the initiative to resolve the conflict – Russian President Vladimir Putin has recently met with his Azerbaijani, Armenian and Turkish counterparts. Apparently, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was a topic of discussions at those meetings.

Attracting new effective intermediaries to conflicts’ settlement always brings a positive effect and a new impetus, and Turkey, as a country highly respected in the international arena, can surely be regarded as such a mediator. Russia considers Turkey as a reliable partner for the conflict’s resolution, that follows from Lavrov’s statement.

Turkey can contribute to ensuring the normal economic cooperation throughout the region, interaction in logistics, transportation and infrastructure. Unfortunately, all this is limited due to Armenia’s occupation of Azerbaijan’s Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions, which made over 1 million Azerbaijani people to leave their native lands and become internationally displaced persons. Armenia still controls fifth part of Azerbaijan's territory and rejects implementing four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding districts.