Yerevan and Ankara signed the Protocols to establish long-lasting peace in the region, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu stated today.

He stressed once more that peace in the Caucasus will be established only after the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has been settled. “It is only possible after the Azerbaijani lands have been vacated. The signing of the protocols caused the Nagorno-Karabakh problem to be put on the international agenda,” Davutoglu told reporters.

The Turkish Foreign Minister also stated that Turkey’s position on the Nagorno-Karabakh problem remains firm. “It is not a problem of Azerbaijan alone, but also of Turkey. Karabakh problem is part of Turkey’s foreign policy strategy,” Davutoglu said. According to him, before the Armenian-Turkish protocols were signed in Zurich, the Turkish side discussed the Nagorno-Karabakh problem with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Speaking of his meeting with his Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar Mamedyarov, Davutoglu pointed out that the sides discussed the development of bilateral relations.

The Turkish FM also spoke of the scandalous topic of the national flags. “Turkey has a law on national flag. But the flag of Azerbaijan is not stage to Turkey and flags flutter in many places,” he said. As regards the events that took place during the Armenia-Turkey football match in Bursa (offensive statements about the Azerbaijani national flag) Davutoglu said that they were provoked by forces wishing to damage the bilateral fraternal relations. Some media outlets are deliberately exaggerating. No Turkish official issued any instructions to FIFA, he said.

The Turkish FM also said that he personally issued instructions to Turkey’s 120 embassies and 180 consulates round the world for Azerbaijanis to be received and their problems resolved.

As to the talks as part of the BSEC Foreign Ministers’ conference in Baku, Davutoglu expressed hope for mutual understanding with Azerbaijan over a number of energy projects. “Discussions are still in progress. I hope the issue will be settled,” the Turkish Foreign Minister said.