Turkey and Russia closely collaborate on Karabakh, says Erdogan's spokesperson

Turkey is closely collaborating with international allies, including Russia to promote a final peace over Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh), a spokesperson for President Recep Tayyip  Erdogan has said.

Ibrahim Kalin addressed the unsettled conflict and the Russian intervention in the process in a speech delivered at a scientific conference hosted by Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University, Akcam reports.

Kalin reiterated the Turkish authorities’ call on Armenia for “returning the occupied Azerbaijani regions”, ruling out any prejudices against the country.  

“Our attitude to this is absolutely clear. We have repeatedly tried to lift the blockade by Armenia to re-establish peace in the Caucasus. We have even collaborated with Russian allies, but the process failed after intervention by other powers. Should that ever happen though, Armenia will derive most of the benefits. We do not have prejudices against Armenia” he said.

Kalin also downplayed the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group, blaming the mission for a failure to achieve "any productive solution" over the period.