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According to the Ankara authorities, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar stressed in a telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu, “the need to withdraw Armenia from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.”
The Turkish Defense Ministry said in an official statement that Akar called Shoigu on Monday, with whom he exchanged views on the Armenian attacks in Azerbaijan.
According to the press release, the Turkish Defense Minister stressed that Armenia, which according to him launched an attack against the Azerbaijani civilian population and violated the ceasefire regime, “must cease its attacks and withdraw from the occupied territories.”
Turkey, active participation
Hulusi Akar stressed that Azerbaijan could not afford to wait another 30 days and said that Turkey’s support for Azerbaijan was an attempt to “regain control of its lands”.
Turkey is considered a major ally of Azerbaijan and is reportedly involved in clashes against Armenian forces by transferring foreign mercenaries (especially Syrian Islamists), but also by air support. Turkey previously announced that it would support Azerbaijan “by all means” at its disposal in the conflict with Armenia.
On September 27, on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the Karabakh region and adjacent areas. A wide-ranging military confrontation broke out, in the most dangerous escalation between the two sides in 20 years, amid mutual accusations of hostilities and the mobilization of foreign soldiers.
What move will Russia make?
Despite maintaining a mutual defense pact with Russia, analysts believe Putin will not get too involved with Armenia in the latter’s long-running territorial dispute with Azerbaijan.
On October 11, Azerbaijan and Armenia agreed to an agreement at the level of foreign ministers through Russia, declaring a ceasefire on humanitarian grounds, but later both sides accused each other of violating the armistice.
The two Caucasus countries have a long-standing dispute over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, a region on Azerbaijani territory but populated mainly by ethnic Armenians. Although a ceasefire agreement was reached in 1994, Armenia and Azerbaijan are frequently accused of attacks in Nagorno-Karabakh and along the border between them.
Source: Zerohedge
