Turkey has nothing to do in NK conflict settlement: Eduard Sharmazanov

Turkey has nothing to do in the Nagorno Karabakh settlement process for several reasons. “Turkey is not a co-chairing country, and the co-chair can be substituted only through consensus, and we oppose this, because during these years, Turkey had a one-sided, pro-Azerbaijani stance, and sometimes even a criminal stance,” Deputy Speaker of Parliament Eduard Sharmazanov responded to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s announcement, which stated that Turkey might play a positive role in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement and bring the issue out from a deadlock.

The NA Deputy Speaker reminded Lavrov his own statement, which said Turkey’s calls during the four day war were not calls for peace, but rather calls for war. “We fully agree with Lavrov’s April 22 assessment. Our, and hopefully, Co-Chairs’ purpose is one—reach peaceful settlement as a result of mutual concessions. We will not allow Turkey’s militaristic and pro-Azerbaijani positions to be playing cards. Turkey has nothing to do, because that country must first of all carry out its obligations. It would be much more accurate and complete if the international community forced Turkey to implement its Zurich obligations.”

According to Sharmazanov, Turkey today goes to political isolation, at least many obstacles are available in relations with the EU, and Turkey attempts to show, that it exists. However, Sharmazanov stressed that Armenia won’t agree on Turkey’s having any role on Karabakh issue.

He disagreed that Lavrov is playing a dual game, “The Co-Chairs have repeatedly stated that the issue should be settled exclusively in a peaceful way, through mediation of the three presidents. CSTO member countries, including Russia, reconfirm their loyalty to the agreements reached in Vienna and St. Petersburg.”

By Gayane Khachatryan