AZERBAIJANI RULING PARTY: MAJOR CHANGES IN FORMAT OF MINSK GROUP REQUIRED
Trend
Oct 29 2012
Azerbaijan
A fair way of resolving the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict must be found, executive secretary of the ruling Yeni
Azerbaijan party (YAP) Ali Ahmedov said.
"The purpose of negotiations within the Minsk Group is the practical
help to resolve the conflict. The conflict hasn't been resolved
for more than 20 years, and if some structure can not fulfill its
obligations for 20 years, then I believe that we need to make serious
changes to the format of the Minsk Group," Ahmedov said.
He noted that Azerbaijan supports peaceful settlement of the conflict.
"How much is it possible to believe that the negotiations will give
results if there is no progress during the 20 years of the conflict?
To believe this, one has to be optimistic. I think that the people of
Azerbaijan are optimistic no more. A just way to resolve the conflict
and to end the suffering of hundreds of thousands of people should
be found," Ahmedov said.
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.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.
Trend
Oct 29 2012
Azerbaijan
A fair way of resolving the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict must be found, executive secretary of the ruling Yeni
Azerbaijan party (YAP) Ali Ahmedov said.
"The purpose of negotiations within the Minsk Group is the practical
help to resolve the conflict. The conflict hasn't been resolved
for more than 20 years, and if some structure can not fulfill its
obligations for 20 years, then I believe that we need to make serious
changes to the format of the Minsk Group," Ahmedov said.
He noted that Azerbaijan supports peaceful settlement of the conflict.
"How much is it possible to believe that the negotiations will give
results if there is no progress during the 20 years of the conflict?
To believe this, one has to be optimistic. I think that the people of
Azerbaijan are optimistic no more. A just way to resolve the conflict
and to end the suffering of hundreds of thousands of people should
be found," Ahmedov said.
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.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.