Today.Az » Politics » Turkish President Gul to discuss Nagorno-Karabakh issue in Moscow
10 October 2008 [12:06] - Today.Az
Turkish President Abdullah Gul will discuss Nagorno-Karabakh issue during his official Moscow visit, which is scheduled in December, Armenian media reported citing an Azerbaijani website.
During the visit the Turkish leader will discuss the perspectives of
bilateral cooperation with his Russian counterpart Dmitri Medvedev,
also the possible ways of peaceful settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, Armenia's AZG reported citing Azerbaijani website
"Bakililar".
The conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia began in 1988 due to Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan.
Since 1992, Armenian Armed Forces have occupied 20 percent of
Azerbaijan including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven
surrounding districts. Turkey has cut its diplomatic relations and
closed the border with Armenia after it occupied Azerbaijani territory.
The efforts to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh problem seem to be
intensified after Georgia-Russia conflict as the situation of South
Ossetia and Abkhazia increased fears of a renewed violence and
escalation of tension.
The two leaders are also expected to discuss Ankara's proposal for the "Caucasian security and cooperation platform", AZG quoted Turkish Ambassador to Russia Halil Akinci.
"At present there are so many sides that want to establish peace in
the Caucasus that they even disturb each other. But the Turkish
initiative is peculiar as it embraces only the OSCE-member countries of
the region – Russia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia", he said.
Turkey proposed to set up a platform for cooperation and stability
in the Caucasus to help the resolution of conflicts through dialogue
after the Russia-Georgia conflict. Turkey, Russia, Georgia,
Armenia and Azerbaijan, the countries planned to take part in this
formation had voiced optimism, however experts are divided over the
prospect of such a platform.
/Hürriyet/
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