[AA.TR] ...the only place on the face of the earth that misses the Ottoman Empire....
will not recognize a "referendum on constitutional changes" in Upper Karabakh, a region which has been "under Armenian occupation for a quarter century," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said Friday.
In a statement, the ministry said that Ankara condemns the "referendum, which will constitute a new violation of Azerbaijan’s illusory sovereignty and territorial integrity".
"This referendum and its results, which we consider illegitimate, will not be recognized by Turkey," the statement added.
The referendum is planned to be held on Feb. 20.
"This ’referendum’ is a clear breach of the principles of international law, UN Security Council resolutions, and the principles of the OSCE. This and other similar actions impair efforts to reach a peaceful and lasting solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," it added.
"The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict continues to be the most important impediment to peace, stability, and cooperation in the South Caucasus. The festivities along the line of contact in Nagorno-Karabakh and at some sections of the Azerbaijan-Armenia border in April 2016 clearly demonstrated that the status quo is not sustainable anymore and the conflict should immediately be resolved in a peaceful manner.