Turkey appoints Serdar Kilic as special envoy for dialogue with Armenia

By Behlul Cetinkaya and Nazli Yuzbasioglu

ABU DHABI (AA) - Turkey has appointed Serdar Kilic, former ambassador to the US, as special envoy to discuss steps for normalization of ties with Armenia, the Turkish foreign minister said on Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters in the United Arab Emirates, Mevlut Cavusoglu said positive statements for the normalization of relations were recently made from both sides, adding that there is a need to take confidence-building measures.

"We consult with Azerbaijan on every issue and take such steps ... Nobody should question whether we can act independently or separately from Azerbaijan. We are one nation, two states. These are positive things that will benefit us all," Cavusoglu said.

Kilic's appointment has been made with the approval of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish foreign minister said.

Relations between the former Soviet republics of Azerbaijan and Armenia have been tense since 1991, when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, also known as Upper Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.

New clashes erupted on Sept. 27, 2020, and during the six-week war, Azerbaijan retook several cities and 300 settlements and villages.

The conflict ended in November 2020 in a Russia-brokered deal that saw Armenia cede swathes of territory it had occupied for decades.

In January, the leaders of the three countries agreed to develop economic ties and infrastructure for the benefit of the entire Caucasus region.

*Writing by Jeyhun Aliyev from Ankara