POLITICS
‘TURKEY AND RUSSIA WILL STRENGTHEN THEIR EFFORTS TO SOLVE NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT’
Baku, May 12 (AZERTAC). Following a tete-a-tete meeting between the Turkish President Abdullah Gul and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev, the two held a news conference.
The Turkish president said they discussed regional problems and ways of their peaceful solution. “The two countries will continue their efforts towards restoring peace and stability in the Southern Caucasus, Balkans and the Middle East.”
The Russian president Medvedev reaffirmed they discussed regional security issues, saying “Russia and Turkey are keen on ensuring peace and stability in the Southern Caucasus.” “We, in particular, are making efforts to the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict”, he said.
Medvedev said: “Using the influence of Russia, we will strengthen our efforts. We will continue the consultations with our Turkish partners on this issue.”
Medvedev stated “encouraging steps have recently been taken to settle the Nagorno-Karabakh problem”. “The sides are holding meetings, are speaking with each other, certain progress has been reached on a number of issues, but it does not mean all issues have been agreed. I personally offered the two presidents my intermediary services. I hope it will go on. Naturally, other members of the OSCE Minsk Group should make their contribution, but all the issues should be discussed by the conflicting sides, i.e. Armenia and Azerbaijan, first.”
The president said Russia is not a part of this conflict, “but it is an active mediator joined the process”.
Medvedev added foreign ministers of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia would meet in near future.
President Medvedev arrived in Ankara on Tuesday evening. He is in Turkey on a two-day formal visit aimed at improving trade and tourism between the two nations.
Medvedev and Gul signed several agreements, including the lifting of entry visas and possibly a deal on Russian help for the construction of Turkey`s first nuclear power plant.