TURKISH MINISTER: ARMENIA SHOULD HAVE WITHDRAWN FROM NAGORNO-KARABAKH NOT FROM EUROVISION
Trend
March 15 2012
Azerbaijan
Armenia should have withdrawn from Nagorno-Karabakh not from Eurovision
2012 Song Contest, Zaman quoted Turkey’s European Union Minister
Egemen Bagis as saying on Thursday.
“I think they should revise their decision,” Bagis said on Thursday
during his meeting with Can Bonomo, the Turkish representative at
the contest.
On March 7 Armenia refused to participate in Eurovision 2012 Song
Contest to be held in Baku in May. Thus, 42 countries will participate
in the contest.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
The 57th Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Baku Crystal Hall,
which is under construction near the area of the State Flag.
Semi-final rounds will be held on May 22 and May 24 and the final on
May 26.