The first session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Turkic-speaking Countries (PATC) to be held in Baku in September may debate the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. “The agenda and issues to be discussed in the session will be determined at the first meeting of the general assembly. The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict may also be included in the agenda,” Azerbaijani Parliamentarian and Member of the Azerbaijani Delegation to the PATC, Nizami Jafarov told Trend News on Aug. 26.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. – are currently holding the peace negotiations.

Jafarov said Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan refused to join the PATC. “These countries have not yet made a final decision on this issue. There is a hope that Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan will join the organization,” the parliamentarian said.

An agreement was reached at the last year’s meeting of the heads of the Turkish-countries’ parliaments held in Istanbul to form the Parliamentary Assembly which included Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkey. Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan refused to join it. Baku will host the first session of the PATC in late September.

Jafarov said the Association of the Parliamentary Journalists will be soon formed under the PATC. “If even the Turkmen and Uzbek parliamentarians do not attend the Baku session of the PA, journalists of these countries can be invited to this event. At present, we are working over these issues,” he said.