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U.S., French, Russian leaders issue joint statement on Nagorno-Karabakh
MUSKOKA (CANADA), June 26 (RIA Novosti)
The presidents of Russia, the United States and France on Saturday
issued a joint statement during the G8 summit in Canada on the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Dimity Medvedev, Barack Obama and Nicholas Sarkozy called on the
leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan to accelerate work on the main
principles of settlement of the conflict in order to begin drafting a
peace agreement.
The three leaders are co-chairs of the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe Minsk Group, which mediates the conflict.
The presidents instructed mediators to continue to provide active
assistance to Armenia and Azerbaijan in overcoming differences in
preparation for a joint meeting at the informal OSCE ministerial forum
in Almaty.
The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorny Karabakh, a
predominantly ethnic Armenian region, first erupted in 1988, when the
region claimed independence from Azerbaijan to join Armenia.
Over 30,000 people are estimated to have died on both sides between
1988 and 1994, when a ceasefire was agreed. Nagorny Karabakh has
remained in Armenian control and tensions between Azerbaijan and
Armenia have persisted.
On May, the region elected a 33-seat parliament with a voter turnout
of almost 68%. Azerbaijani officials called the elections "illegal,"
saying they could seriously harm peace efforts.
From: A. Papazian
MUSKOKA (CANADA), June 26 (RIA Novosti)
The presidents of Russia, the United States and France on Saturday
issued a joint statement during the G8 summit in Canada on the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Dimity Medvedev, Barack Obama and Nicholas Sarkozy called on the
leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan to accelerate work on the main
principles of settlement of the conflict in order to begin drafting a
peace agreement.
The three leaders are co-chairs of the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe Minsk Group, which mediates the conflict.
The presidents instructed mediators to continue to provide active
assistance to Armenia and Azerbaijan in overcoming differences in
preparation for a joint meeting at the informal OSCE ministerial forum
in Almaty.
The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorny Karabakh, a
predominantly ethnic Armenian region, first erupted in 1988, when the
region claimed independence from Azerbaijan to join Armenia.
Over 30,000 people are estimated to have died on both sides between
1988 and 1994, when a ceasefire was agreed. Nagorny Karabakh has
remained in Armenian control and tensions between Azerbaijan and
Armenia have persisted.
On May, the region elected a 33-seat parliament with a voter turnout
of almost 68%. Azerbaijani officials called the elections "illegal,"
saying they could seriously harm peace efforts.
From: A. Papazian