Ankara responds to Baku`s protest
The Turkish government has responded to Azerbaijan`s
protest note issued over the recent illegal visit by television
reporters to Armenian-occupied territories.
Turkey`s Foreign Ministry regarded as inappropriate the visit by two reporters of the NTV channel, who traveled to the Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh region of Azerbaijan through Armenian territory without acquiring Baku`s authorization. It said the move runs counter to the law and is not consistent with Ankara`s foreign policy.
The Turkish ministry said it recognizes Azerbaijan`s territorial integrity and supports settlement of the Garabagh conflict in line with international law. It termed Baku`s discontent with the reporters` travels as normal, but pointed to the importance of treating the matter in terms of the freedom of speech and media.
In their report, the NTV employees described the self-proclaimed Upper Garabagh republic as an independent state. The Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry`s note, forwarded to the Turkish embassy in Baku on Friday, said the fact that the Turkish reporters had been registered by the ``foreign ministry`` of the separatist regime has caused concern in Azerbaijan and called the Turkish journalists` actions ``deeply disappointing.``
Azerbaijan fought a lengthy war with Armenia that ended with the signing of a cease-fire in 1994, but the neighboring South Caucasus republic continues to occupy Upper Garabagh and seven adjacent Azerbaijani districts in defiance of international law. Though the separatist regime in Upper Garabagh declared so-called independence at the time of the Soviet collapse in 1991, this ``independence``, which blatantly tramples on international law, has not been recognized by the world community.
Turkey`s Foreign Ministry regarded as inappropriate the visit by two reporters of the NTV channel, who traveled to the Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh region of Azerbaijan through Armenian territory without acquiring Baku`s authorization. It said the move runs counter to the law and is not consistent with Ankara`s foreign policy.
The Turkish ministry said it recognizes Azerbaijan`s territorial integrity and supports settlement of the Garabagh conflict in line with international law. It termed Baku`s discontent with the reporters` travels as normal, but pointed to the importance of treating the matter in terms of the freedom of speech and media.
In their report, the NTV employees described the self-proclaimed Upper Garabagh republic as an independent state. The Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry`s note, forwarded to the Turkish embassy in Baku on Friday, said the fact that the Turkish reporters had been registered by the ``foreign ministry`` of the separatist regime has caused concern in Azerbaijan and called the Turkish journalists` actions ``deeply disappointing.``
Azerbaijan fought a lengthy war with Armenia that ended with the signing of a cease-fire in 1994, but the neighboring South Caucasus republic continues to occupy Upper Garabagh and seven adjacent Azerbaijani districts in defiance of international law. Though the separatist regime in Upper Garabagh declared so-called independence at the time of the Soviet collapse in 1991, this ``independence``, which blatantly tramples on international law, has not been recognized by the world community.
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