CCTS backs Azeri stance on Karabakh conflict - official

The format of the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States (CCTS) does not permit the establishment of any military-political blocs, Novruz Mammadov, head of the foreign relations department at President Ilham Aliyev's office, told Lider television station.

"So far, the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States has not discussed any plans to set up any blocs either for political or military cooperation," he said.

The council's top goal has always been to broaden contacts between Turkic speaking countries in business, culture, education, science, humanitarian affairs, etc, he said.

Decisions were adopted at the organization's 4th summit in Bodrum, Turkey, last week that pave the way for further steps to bolster ties between its member states in tourism, education, humanitarian affairs and culture, Mammadov said.

"Promoting cooperation in different sectors of the economy is equally important," he said.

When commenting on the need to find a peaceful solution to the Armenian-Azeri conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, Mammadov said that Turkic speaking states support Baku's approach on this issue.

"This was reflected in a joint declaration of the Turkic speaking states' leaders adopted at the end of the summit," he said.

Bakudaily.az