Turkish envoy responds to US lawmaker in Karabakh row

WASHINGTON

Turkey's ambassador to the US responded to congressman Adam Schiff Friday in their ongoing row over the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh.

The second day of exchanged barbs started when Schiff, a Democratic lawmaker from California, accused Serdar Kilic of making "misleading" statements on Twitter the day prior.

"Ambassador, what's missing from your misleading thread is a renunciation of Azerbaijan‘s use of military force to settle the issues around Artsakh. So, I have questions for you and
@RTErdogan," he said, using the Armenian name for Nagorno-Karabakh, and referring to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, respectively.

"Do you support a ceasefire and return to negotiations? Or do you want war?" Schiff said.

Responded Kilic, "Congressman,do you mean pointless negotiations to prolong the unacceptable 30 year occupation or meaningfull negotiations to ensure unconditional and immediate withdrawal of Armenian forces from illegally occupied Azerbaijani territories in line with relevant UNSC Resolutions."

"So,I also have two questions. As a lawmaker a)Do you respect UN as a peace making body and support full implemetation of its resolutions? b)Do you condone use of force for occupation of other country’s territories and reject self defence by the victim in face of aggression"? he asked.

Fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, also called Upper Karabakh, began Sept. 27.

Relations between the two ex-Soviet republics have been tense since 1991, when the Armenian military occupied the region, an internationally recognized territory of Azerbaijan.

Four UN Security Council and two UN General Assembly resolutions demand the withdrawal of occupying forces.

The OSCE Minsk Group -- co-chaired by France, Russia, and the US -- was formed in 1992 to find a peaceful solution to the conflict, but to no avail. A cease-fire, however, was agreed upon in 1994.

Many world powers, including Russia, France and the US, have urged an immediate cease-fire to halt the latest round of fighting. Russia is currently hosting trilateral talks aimed at securing an end to the violence.

Turkey, meanwhile, has supported Baku's right to self-defense and demanded the withdrawal of Armenia's occupying forces.