Turkey urges solution to Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

By Merve Aydogan

BAKU, Azerbaijan (AA) - Turkish prime minister on Wednesday called on the international community to exert pressure on Armenia to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Speaking to state-owned Azerbaijan Television (AZ TV) in capital Baku, Binali Yildirim said: "We want all sovereign rights of Azerbaijan to be protected. The UN and all other organizations acknowledge that Armenia is wrong. However the necessary sensitivities towards adopting a resolution are absent."

Regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Yildirim reiterated Turkey's support to Azerbaijan.

"Whatever is a threat to Azerbaijan, is also a threat to us. The international community and institutions must further pressure Armenia."

Azerbaijan and Armenia remain in dispute over the occupied Karabakh region. Karabakh broke away from Azerbaijan in 1991 with Armenian military support, and a peace process has yet to be implemented.

Turkey reiterates that the dispute needs to be resolved within the framework of international law and Azerbaijan's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Turning to trade volume between the two countries, Yildirim said: "We do not operate at our full potential. Our presidents set a trade volume target of $5 billion a year. There are steps which need to be taken to actualize this.

"Facilitative steps must be taken regarding transportation and restrictive conditions in trade must be removed. Before everything, formalities must be reduced."

Speaking about Turkey's ongoing Operation Olive Branch in Syria's Afrin, he said it was launched to ensure peace in the region and eliminate terror groups.

He added that Turkey will continue its counter-terror efforts against all threats within the framework of international law.

Separately, Yildirim held several closed-door meetings with officials including former Serbian President Boris Tadic and former Bosnia Herzegovina's Prime Minister Zlatko Lagumdzija at a local hotel in Baku.

Yildirim is on a two-day visit to the Azeri capital to attend the Sixth Global Baku Forum.