YEREVAN.- Turkey does not displace unbiased stance and neutral position on the Karabakh conflict. Moreover, Ankara’s interference hampers the peace process, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said.

Commenting on Turkish side’s regret over death of Azerbaijani soldiers in frontline, the Minister said such remarks “sound racist”.

“We have never heard him being concerned about the killings of Armenian soldiers as a result of subversive acts from the Azeri side. While the international community condemns the bloody incidents and urges the sides to refrain from the use of force, these sort of Turkish statements in fact encourage Azerbaijanis’ new subversive acts,” Nalbandian said during a joint press conference with OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Ireland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Eamon Gilmore..

“While Azerbaijan is not only not reacting, but is continuously rejecting the Minsk Group Co-Chairs’ proposals on the withdrawal of snipers from the line of contact, the consolidation of ceasefire, the creation of investigation mechanisms of the violations of ceasefire, the Turkish side is attempting to shift this responsibility of the Azerbaijani side on the others.

The Turkish side is pretending as if it is unaware whether of whose fault a progress was not made in Kazan on reaching an agreement of the basic principles,” he said.

He recalled that 20 years ago Armenia did not oppose Turkey’s inclusion as a member of the Minsk Group, because some countries expected that Turkey would be unbiased and would have its input in the peaceful settlement of the conflict.

“The passing 20 years showed that Turkey is not only non-neutral, but through its stance harms the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement process. A question arises: is Turkey’s such behavior compatible with its being a member of the Minsk Group?” Minister emphasized.

Photo by Sona Barseghyan