Armenia must liberate Azerbaijani territories to normalize relations with Ankara

Baku. 20 February. REPORT.AZ/ Armenia must withdraw from the occupied Azerbaijani territories to normalize relations with Ankara, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was quoted today by Sabah newspaper, Report informs citing Turkish mass media.

The minister said, at first, it is necessary to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict for the establishment of peace in the South Caucasus.

"So far, Armenia not taken any actions to solve Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," M. Cavusoglu stated. 

On October 10, 2009 the Foreign Ministers of Turkey and Armenia Ahmet Davutoglu and Edward Nalbandian signed protocols on normalization of relations between Turkey and Armenia.
However, the protocols have not been ratified by the countries’ parliaments.

The diplomatic relations between the two countries were severed in 1993. The break in relations, as well as, the closing of borders between Turkey and Armenia in 1993 was due to Yerevan’s claims over recognition of the so-called Armenian genocide in the world and Armenia’s occupation of Azerbaijani lands.