“Illegal entry into Azerbaijan’s occupied territories is a crime,” said Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu who attended a trilateral meeting with his Azerbaijani and Pakistani counterparts in Baku. “Four our citizens have lately visited Nagorno-Karabakh region without notifying Turkey or Azerbaijan. We became very disappointed when we learned about it. Nagorno-Karabakh is Azerbaijan`s territory. Entry to Nagorno-Karabakh is a crime because Nagorno-Karabakh as well as seven other districts are Azerbaijani lands which are now under occupation.”
Cavusoglu said that both Azerbaijan and Turkey launched criminal cases and legal procedures in this connection.
“These four people appealed to me and explained that they did not know that they were committing a crime. I told them that they had to explain it to the Azerbaijani government. What you did is a crime. In any case these people are not schoolchildren. They said that they defend Azerbaijan, condemn Khojaly genocide and support Azerbaijan on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.”
Cavusoglu said these four Turkish citizens sent a letter to Azerbaijan admitting their mistake.
“Let everybody know that without permission from the Azerbaijani side no one can visit Nagorno-Karabakh. This is a position of the President, myself, our state and nation,” added the Turkish FM.