Azernews.Az

Turkey is an influential country that can influence developments ongoing in the region. From this perspective, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's visit to Turkey last week and the discussions held there are in spotlight, an Azerbaijani ruling party official has said.

"This visit confirms the growing influence of Turkey in the region," Yeni (New) Azerbaijan deputy executive secretary, MP Mubariz Gurbanli told the party's website.

Turkey wields clout in the South Caucasus region as well, Gurbanli said.

"The South Caucasus is one of the most sensitive regions of the world from the geopolitical and geo-economic points of view. From this viewpoint Turkey's initiatives to resolve regional conflicts are commendable," Gurbanli said.

Gurbanli said conflicts, including the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, impede the implementation of important projects throughout the region.

Gurbanli said the world is undergoing drastic changes, and currently the leading place in the world is taken not by military force or the number of troops, but new technology, science and economic power of countries.

"Economic projects play a special role in the growth of [countries'] economic potential, but this is prevented by conflicts. Therefore, world countries are interested in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. From this perspective, Turkey's initiatives are very valuable. Azerbaijan and Turkey are strategic allies, friendly and brotherly countries. And as a fraternal country, Turkey supports Azerbaijan's fair position in the conflict resolution process," Gurbanli said.

He said further that Azerbaijan, as a secular state, is also an attractive country in terms of its economic and political model.

"With Turkey we have more common interests than with other countries," Gurbanli said. "From time to time putting forward such initiatives, Turkey wants to turn the Caucasus into a region of peace and stability, tries to achieve economic unity of the regional states. The Karabakh problem stands in the way... This conflict harms all regional states. Armenia is no longer as significant for Russia in the South Caucasus as before, because Turkey, as a powerful state in the region, is increasing its pressure on the [ongoing] processes. Therefore, Turkey's initiatives to address the Karabakh problem are very valuable and worthy of commendation."

The Karabakh conflict emerged in 1988 when Armenia leveled territorial claims against Azerbaijan. The two countries fought a lengthy war that displaced about one million Azerbaijanis. Since the fragile ceasefire accord signed in 1994, Armenian armed forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, in defiance of international law. Peace talks, brokered by the United States, Russia and France through the OSCE Minsk Group, have been largely fruitless so far.