Türkiye calls on Armenia to take confidence-building measures

By Mehmet Sah Yilmaz and Mustafa Deveci

TURKMENBASHI, Turkmenistan (AA) - The Turkish foreign minister on Wednesday called on Armenia to take confidence-building measures, noting that the normalization talks between the special representatives of Ankara and Yerevan are ongoing.

Speaking to the media in Turkmenbashi, Turkmenistan, Mevlut Cavusoglu said: "We have coordinately taken some steps on air cargo, opening our airspace as confidence-building steps. Armenia should also take sincere steps."

Cavusoglu reaffirmed Türkiye's solidarity with Azerbaijan and said that there are still steps to be taken for the development of the liberated lands of Azerbaijan.

Reminding that the Russian peacekeeping mission is present at the Lachin corridor, Cavusoglu stressed that there is an “illegal” extraction and selling of the land resources belonging to Azerbaijan.

“It is against the international law … and it means stealing the wealth of Azerbaijan,” he added.

The Lachin corridor is a road that links Armenia and the Karabakh region under an agreement that ended the 44-day war with Azerbaijan in the fall of 2020, when Baku liberated that region, located in the South Caucasus, from roughly three decades of Armenian occupation.

Emphasizing that the Russian mission in the region needs to "properly monitor the operation in Lachin corridor," he said: "They (Russia) have to do their part. It is Azerbaijan’s right in terms of law and justice, and in terms of standing against these illegal activities in its own territory."

He further affirmed that Türkiye and Azerbaijan are sincere about normalization and urged Armenia to sign a peace agreement soon.

On natural gas exports, Cavusoglu noted that some of the Azerbaijani gas is sold to Türkiye, and some of it is delivered to Europe via Türkiye.

"In order for Turkmenistan's natural gas to reach Türkiye, it must first come to Azerbaijan. The steps to be taken and cooperation for this should be for the benefit of all three countries," he said, adding that Ankara, Baku and Ashgabat are discussing the details of mutual agreement for such cooperation.

Cavusoglu also commented on the trilateral summit between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, and Turkmen leader Serdar Berdimuhamedov in the western Turkmen city of Awaza and described it "historic" not only due to the agreements signed but also due to its content.

The trio signed five agreements in various areas including trade, culture, energy, and transport, which aim to strengthen cooperation.

*Writing by Merve Aydogan in Ankara