Armenian lobby concerned over US call for greater Turkish role in Karabakh settlement
By Sara Rajabova
The Armenian lobby has again shown its lack of interest in moving forward the stalled settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict by criticizing a recent US call for involving another country in a settlement of the long-standing dispute.
Kerry stated in the House of Representatives on Thursday that Turkey would be a constructive player in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the Cyprus issues. "Turkey plays a constructive role in resolving the two disputes," he added.
The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) criticized Secretary of State John Kerry over calling for Turkey's greater role in the settlement of the conflict.
ANCA claimed Kerry was "adding fuel to the fire" and thus openly demonstrated its unwillingness to reach progress in the conflict resolution.
Stressing Turkey's increasing role in solving the regional conflicts, Kerry said Turkey is holding talks with the U.S. on two unresolved conflicts - Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and resolution of the Cyprus problem.
Moreover, after his appointment as US Secretary of State, Kerry expressed his dissatisfaction with the lingering status quo in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Kerry pledged that the U.S. would continue to be closely involved in the conflict resolution process during his tenure. He said that as before, the U.S. would remain committed to finding a peaceful and sustainable settlement of the dispute through the mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group.
The U.S., along with Russia and France, co-chairs the Minsk Group, which has long been working to broker a solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Peace talks have been largely fruitless so far.
The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict emerged in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against the neighboring country. Since a lengthy war between the two South Caucasus countries that displaced over a million Azerbaijanis and ended with the signing of a precarious cease-fire in 1994, Armenian armed forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
The peace negotiations are underway on the basis of a peace outline proposed by the Minsk Group co-chairs and dubbed the Madrid Principles, also known as Basic Principles. The document envisions a return of the territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijani control; determining the final legal status of Nagorno-Karabakh; a corridor linking Armenia to the region; and the right of all internally displaced persons to return home.