Azernews.Az

A group of Azerbaijani lawmakers has hailed Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's response made on Saturday to Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian's statement at a conference on security issues in Munich, Germany. In reply to Oskanian's question as to why Armenia was being kept in a blockade by Turkey, the Turkish premier reminded that Armenia occupies part of Azerbaijan's internationally-recognized territory. He pointed out that Armenian aggression ousted hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis from their homes and acts of genocide were perpetrated in Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh.
The Turkish-Armenian border has been closed since 1993 on Ankara's insistence for two reasons - Armenia's occupation of Azerbaijani territories and the "Armenian genocide" claims.
Member of the Azerbaijani delegation at the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Eldar Ibrahimov, at a parliamentary sitting on Tuesday, thanked Erdogan for stating the case to the Armenian minister backed up by substantial facts.
An executive of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party, MP Aydin Mirzazada agreed with his counterpart. He said Prime Minister Erdogan dumbfounded Oskanian with his logical response.
"The Turkish prime minister backed Azerbaijan's fair cause at that conference and once again proved his being Azerbaijan's friend," the MP said.