Turkey, Russia to intensify efforts on Karabakh issue

Berber said that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, since its beginning, is not only Azerbaijan’s, but also Turkey’s problem.

"In fact, Armenia also wants this problem’s settlement, since the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict isolates the country from the outside world, which greatly affects its economy," he noted. "Undoubtedly, the problem’s settlement will lead to stability and improve welfare of citizens in the region."

Turkey wants good relations with Armenia as those the country has with Georgia, said the Turkish MP.

He added that the way to good relations between Ankara and Yerevan passes through the liberation of the Armenia-occupied territories of Azerbaijan.

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.

Berber said that details of creation of the Turkey-Azerbaijan-Russia trilateral cooperation format, in particular, trilateral interparliamentary friendship group were also discussed during Yildirim’s visit to Russia.

He also noted that Ankara supports the creation of the Turkey-Azerbaijan-Russia trilateral interparliamentary friendship group for strengthening of the three countries’ relations.

Earlier, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, during the meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg on Aug. 9, said that Azerbaijan, Turkey and Russia can form a trilateral mechanism of cooperation.