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3 December 2016

By Seba Aghayeva – Trend

Turkey is grateful to Azerbaijan for the support during difficult times and cooperation security sphere, said Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.

Cavusoglu made the remarks during a joint briefing with his Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov in Baku Dec. 3.

“I am pleased to once again be on a visit in Azerbaijan, which is also our homeland. My last visit to Azerbaijan was after the coup attempt in Turkey, and I once again express my gratitude to the leadership and people of Azerbaijan for the support to Turkey in those difficult days,” noted the Turkish minister.

He said that the fight against the terrorist organization of Fethullah Gulen, who is accused of being involved in the July 15 coup attempt in Turkey, is also important for Azerbaijan’s security.

“We always support Azerbaijan in the issue of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict’s settlement. Armenian troops must withdraw from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan,” said Cavusoglu adding that Turkey, for its part, is ready to help Azerbaijan in the conflict’s settlement.

The Turkish minister added that he informed Mammadyarov about negotiations with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov that was held in Turkey’s Alanya on Dec. 1.

Russia had initiatives on the conflict’s settlement beyond the OSCE Minsk Group, said Cavusoglu.

“I noted that Turkey stands by Azerbaijan in this issue,” he added.

“We support resolution and efforts of Russia in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict’s settlement,” added the Turkish minister.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.