Türkiye's senior diplomat urges end to Minsk Group's role in South Caucasus Photo

Türkiye’s Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman, Fuat Oktay, emphasised that the return of Western Azerbaijanis to their ancestral lands, alongside the restoration of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan, remains a key resolution for Türkiye.

Oktay made these remarks during a diplomatic forum in Antalya, where he further outlined Türkiye’s commitment to regional peace and stability, Caliber.Az reports via local media. 

Oktay reiterated Türkiye’s support for the normalisation of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, stressing the necessity to end ongoing crises, wars, and conflicts. "We are tired of crises, wars, and conflicts. It is essential to bring an end to the Russia- Ukraine war and the bloodshed in Gaza," Oktay said. "Türkiye believes that all conflict-related issues can be resolved through diplomatic means and supports all possible avenues for this."

A key point raised by Oktay was the need for constitutional reforms in Armenia to ensure peace and stability in the South Caucasus. Reflecting on the future of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group, Oktay stated that the group's role has already been superseded. "The Minsk Group believes that 'if the conflict ends, they will be out of work.' However, the problem has been resolved, and they should go on and address issues elsewhere," he added. Türkiye has been vocal in advocating for the dissolution of the Minsk Group.

Further backing this stance, Ibrahim Halil Korkmaz, Deputy Chairman of External Relations for Türkiye’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), also expressed his support for regional peace during the same forum. Korkmaz reflected on the importance of discussing the liberation of Karabakh, which had been under Armenian occupation for many years, and emphasised that the unity and equality of Turkic states would contribute significantly to peace and stability in the South Caucasus.

Korkmaz also touched upon the concept of a multipolar world, stating that such forums, which serve peaceful and unifying functions within global diplomacy, are crucial. "Diplomacy not only addresses the present but also sets the direction for the future," he concluded.

By Aghakazim Guliyev