Speaking to Azerbaijani ANS television before leaving for United States, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will be on the agenda in his meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama. Pointing that Karabakh is a bleeding wound, Erdogan said, “We told United States that they will be solving the problems between Turkey and Armenia if they solve Nagorno-Karabakh problem. If you do not solve Karabakh problem, you cannot solve Armenia problem. Turkey’s problems with Armenia are totally about Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.”
Stating that he expressed this approach of Turkey to both U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, Prime Minister said, “If Mr. Obama and Mr. Medvedev show their political will in this issue, and if my brother Ilham and Armenian President Sarksyan make progress in negotiations we may get closer to the solution of the problem. I think they made significant progress in negotiations. If they can finalize it, then the problems between Turkey and Armenia will also be solved.”
When Azerbaijani reporter asked whether the process of normalization of relations between Turkey and Armenia is progressing parallel to the process of resolution of Nagorno-Karabakh problem or not, Erdogan said, “Nagorno-Karabakh is not mentioned in protocols. But instead it says, ’existing problems in the region’. I expressed this for several times. We are decisive on this issue. There will not be any step unless Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is resolved.”
Reminding the U.N. decision which stresses that Nagorno-Karabakh belongs to Azerbaijan, Prime Minister said, “Who should make steps on this issue? Armenia should return seven regions surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh back to Azerbaijan. There will not be any steps in the process of normalization of relations unless this issue is solved.”
Stressing that OSCE Minsk Group should accelerate efforts towards the resolution of the problem, Erdogan said, “Necessary steps should be made.”
