icon bookmark-bicon bookmarkicon cameraicon checkicon chevron downicon chevron lefticon chevron righticon chevron upicon closeicon v-compressicon downloadicon editicon v-expandicon fbicon fileicon filtericon flag ruicon full chevron downicon full chevron lefticon full chevron righticon full chevron upicon gpicon insicon mailicon moveicon-musicicon mutedicon nomutedicon okicon v-pauseicon v-playicon searchicon shareicon sign inicon sign upicon stepbackicon stepforicon swipe downicon tagicon tagsicon tgicon trashicon twicon vkicon yticon wticon fm
18 Oct, 2020 16:13

Erdogan accuses Russia, US & France of providing ‘weapon support’ to Armenia amid Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

Erdogan accuses Russia, US & France of providing ‘weapon support’ to Armenia amid Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused members of the OSCE Minsk Group of providing “weapon support” to Armenia in the ongoing Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, reiterating his own support for Azerbaijan.

Speaking at an event of his ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party in the southeastern Sirnak Province on Sunday, the Turkish president accused Russia, France, and the US – the states that co-chair the OSCE Minsk Mediation Group on Nagorno-Karabakh – of siding with Armenia in the conflict. The three countries are providing “all kinds of weapon support” to Yerevan, Erdogan claimed without giving any details.

The president reiterated that he stands with Azerbaijan, insisting it is within its rights to “liberate” the disputed, predominantly Armenian-populated region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

“Our Azerbaijani brothers are currently in a very serious struggle against Armenia. Why are they fighting this struggle? Because they are fighting to liberate Azerbaijan’s occupied lands from the Armenians,” Erdogan said. “What can be more natural than that?”

Also on rt.com Azerbaijan offers to hand over remains of war dead to Armenia amid 2nd attempt to observe truce

The recent escalation began in late September with the Armenian-backed, self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh republic and Azerbaijan laying blame for the hostilities on each other. The region unilaterally broke away from Azerbaijan after a bloody war in 1990s. Although it declared independence, Baku continues to regard Nagorno-Karabakh as part of the country.

Turkey has openly supported Azerbaijan in the ongoing conflict. Ankara has faced accusations of providing direct aerial support to Baku as well as sending Syrian militants to the region – allegations that Turkey has rejected.

Also on rt.com Armenia & Azerbaijan declare ‘humanitarian ceasefire’ in Nagorno-Karabakh starting Sunday

Despite the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group, and Russia in particular, the fighting continues. A ceasefire reached on October 10 didn’t succeed in stopping the hostilities. A new truce agreed late Saturday was apparently short-lived as well, with both Armenia and Azerbaijan accusing each other of breaching it.

Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!

Podcasts
0:00
26:13
0:00
24:57