Erdoğan accuses U.S., Russia, France of supplying arms to Armenia
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
on Saturday accused Russia, the United States and France of supplying weapons
to Armenia in its conflict with Azerbaijan over the disputed region of
Nagorno-Karabakh.
Erdoğan said Minsk
Group tripartite had failed to solve the problem of the breakaway region in the
southern Caucasus and vowed Turkey would not remain silent in the face of the
latest developments in the region, Voice of America Turkish said.
“What do they say? That we support our Azerbaijani
brothers. What does the Minsk Tripartie, USA, Russia, France say? They support
Armenia. They provide Armenia with all kinds of support in the form of
weapons,” VoA cited Erdoğan as saying during a
congress meeting of his ruling Justice and Development party in the
southeastern town of Şırnak.
Ankara has thrown its full support behind Azerbaijan
in the latest flare-up in the decades-long conflict over the breakaway region,
which has entered its fourth week.
“Our Azeri brothers and sisters are struggling to
liberate these occupied lands,’’ Erdoğan
said. “My God be their aid, I
believe that they will seize these occupied lands from Armenians.’’
The West is not on the side of Azerbaijan, who has
been a victim of Armenia’s violation of last week’ ceasefire, Erdoğan
said.
Azerbaijan and Armenia agreed on Oct. 10 to a
Russian-brokered truce, aimed at allowing the sides to swap detainees and the
bodies of the deceased. But the ceasefire failed after both sides continued
carrying out attacks, while accusing each other for violating the agreement.
