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Turkey has nothing to do with the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement due to number of reasons. First and foremost, Turkey is not a co-chairing state. Any change to the co-chairing state format may be reached through consensus. We oppose that, Eduard Sharmazanov, Deputy Speaker of Armenia’s National Assembly told reporters at a briefing. Sharmazanov’s comments came as a reaction to Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov’s recent remarks that Turkey might play a positive role in the resolution of the Karabakh conflict.

“Over the past years Turkey has displayed one-sided, pro-Azerbaijani and occasionally criminal stance,” Sharmazanov noted, recalling FM Lavrov’s statement made back during the April military actions, this year suggesting that with its actions Turkey advocated for war rather than peace which was against the official position of the OSCE Minsk Group.

“Turkey has nothing to do with the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement, since our aim and hopefully that of the OSCE Minsk group is the one – to reach a peaceful settlement of the conflict through mutual concessions,” Sharmazanov stressed.

He emphasized it would be right and complete for the international community to force Turkey implement its commitments taken in Zurich and even more – de-blockade the border with Armenia.

Sharmazanov next recommended paying no much attention to the disinformation released by Turkish diplomacy while dismissing any possible agreement between Moscow and Ankara over the Karabakh settlement.

“The only goal of Turkey is to strengthening its role in the region of the South Caucasus, considering the fact that the country is in its way to a political isolation and also considering the number of existing hindrances in its relations with the EU. Turkey wishes to show it exists. While Turkey is one of the players, it has nothing to do in the Karabakh conflict.  The Republic of Armenian and the Nagorno Karabakh republic will not give their consent to Turkey’s any involvement in the conflict settlement,” Sharmazanov maintained.

The Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly referred to the statement adopted during the Yerevan session of the CSTO, stating the conflict should be resolved through exclusively peaceful means.

“I reiterate that the OSCE Minsk Group format is not subject to changes. We are opposing it,” concluded Sharmazanov.