Erdogan's Press Secretary Comments on Azerbaijan's Checkpoint Installation in Lachin Corridor

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's press secretary, Ibrahim Kalin, has commented on Azerbaijan's installation of a checkpoint in the Lachin corridor. 'Karabakh is Azerbaijan.' We are talking about 'Azerbaijan's territorial integrity,' and bringing other meanings here will not contribute to the establishment of the process,' Kalin stated.

He noted that we must take seriously the numerous 'guarantees' provided by Azerbaijan to the Armenians living in and around Stepanakert. 'Azerbaijan has proposed a 'security model' for their lives and property, which we consider one of the main pillars of the peace process,' the press secretary added.

Kalin also mentioned that the peace agreement to be signed between Azerbaijan and Armenia would bring significant economic 'benefits' to Yerevan and would impact relations with Turkey.

It should be recalled that Azerbaijan unlawfully installed a checkpoint in the Lachin corridor on April 23, violating the trilateral agreements and within the zone of responsibility of the Russian peacekeeping forces.

It has been reported that the command of the Russian peacekeeping forces continues negotiations about opening the Hakari bridge. The Russians are holding separate discussions with both the Azerbaijani and Artsakh sides, as stated by Arthur Harutyunyan, the head of the ruling faction in the Artsakh parliament.