Turkey vows to help frozen conflicts, including Nagorno-Karabakh

"Turkish diplomacy has been striving for it (U.N. Security Council seat) for about five years. This is an important responsibility before the world community, which entrusted a seat on the Security Council to Turkey. Our external policy is based on peace in the entire world," Turkey's ambassador to Azerbaijan, Hulusi Kilic, told at a press conference.Â

 

Turkey has become a non-permanent member of the U.N. Security Council for 2009-2010 by winning 151 out of 192 votes in Friday’s elections. Turkey's term would start in Jan. 1, 2009.

 

Kilic said Turkey will try to assist in the resolution of all frozen conflicts, including Nagorno-Karabakh, on which the Security Council has adopted four resolutions, according to the Azerbaijani press.

 

The conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia began in 1988 due to Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan.

 

Since 1992, Armenian Armed Forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven surrounding districts.

 

"As a member of the U.N. Security Council, Turkey will try to settle all frozen conflicts, including the Armenian-Azerbaijani issue," Kilic was quoted as saying by the Day.az website.

 

Turkey will have broader opportunities in the resolution of international and regional problems, he added.

 

Experts say Turkey's tendency to find a middle path between contending parties would increase with its Security Council membership instead of forcing the taking of sides.