Obama and Erdogan during a meeting last year
SEOUL, South Korea (Combined Sources)—Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdogan, during a meeting with President Barack Obama, has suggested that Turkey and the OSCE Minsk Group join efforts to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Meeting in the South Korean capital ahead of the Nuclear Security Summit, the two leaders reportedly focused on the current situation around Syria, but also discussed the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Erdogan also expressed Turkey’s discontent over the new resolution in the U.S. Congress regarding the Armenian Genocide.
“I reminded Obama that during the past two decades the OSCE Minsk Group has not succeeded in settling the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. And since the issue has reached a deadlock, I suggested that we talk to Azeris and Minsk Group co-chairing France, Russia and the United States try to persuade Armenia, so that they can solve the issue,” Erdogan was quoted as saying in the Turkish Sabah newspaper.
“I told Obama that we are tired. Every year in April we face the same problem, whether Republicans come [to power] or Democrats, the issue remains the same. I showed him the steps we had taken, brought Akhtamar as an example,” said Erdogan, referring to the reconstruction of the medieval Armenian church in Lake Van in 2010, and the permission to Armenian Christians to hold liturgies there once a year.
The Turkish premier called on Obama “not to mistake U.S. senators, lawmakers and politicians for historians.”
“I congratulated the Prime Minister on the efforts that he’s made within Turkey to protect religious minorities. I am pleased to hear of his decision to reopen the Halki Seminary,” said Obama following the meeting with Erdogan.
“I just want to say how much I appreciate the opportunity to once again meet with my friend and colleague, Prime Minister Erdogan. I think it’s fair to say that over the last several years, the relationship between Turkey and the United States has continued to grow across every dimension. And I find Prime Minister Erdogan to be an outstanding partner and an outstanding friend on a wide range of issues,” said Obama.
