Turkey engaged in comprehensive efforts to ensure peace in Caucasus

Turkey aims to ensure peace, stability and normalization in the Caucasus by solving the region's frozen conflicts, including the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute, Gul told reporters before departing for Bahrain. Â

"Within this framework, as discussions on issues with Yerevan continue, we are also involved in efforts to solve the problems between Azerbaijan and Armenia," he said, adding that diplomacy did allow him to speak publicly about the steps being taken regarding the issue.

Turkey and Armenia have no diplomatic relations and their border has been closed since 1993 over Armenia's invasion of 20 percent of Azerbaijani territory – a frozen conflict legacy of the Soviet Union known as Nagorno-Karabakh.    Â

Ankara and Yerevan however have been engaged in a normalization process, including the reopening of the border, since Gul paid a landmark visit to Armenia last year to watch a World Cup qualifying football match between the countries’ national teams.

Azeri officials have expressed concern over the prospect of the border being reopened and some media reports suggested that Baku might even go one step further in halting the sale of natural gas to Turkey. Azerbaijan, which has strong cultural and historic ties with Turkey, says opening the border before the withdrawal of Armenian troops from the country’s occupied territories would run counter to its national interests.

Turkey has said it will be difficult to overcome its problems with Armenia unless the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is resolved, in a bid to soothe Azerbaijan’s concerns.