new Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Vladimir Dorokhin told journalists on April 16.
Armenian-Turkish ties have been severed since 1993 due to Armenia's claims of an alleged genocide, and the country's occupation of 20 percent of Azerbaijani lands.
Turkish President Abdullah Gul visited Yerevan on Sept. 6, 2008 upon the invitation of his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sarkisyan to watch an Armenia-Turkey football match.
Efforts have been made to normalize ties between the two countries ever since Following strong protests by the Turkish and Azerbaijani public, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters earlier last week that Turkey will not open borders with Armenia until Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is resolved.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the U.S. - are currently holding the peace negotiations.
"We think that relations between Turkey and Armenia are the two countries' matter. The Azerbaijani leadership is wise and mature and it will find and hold a position meeting the country's interests," Dorokhin said.
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