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Trend, Azerbaijan
May 21 2013
Foreign Ministry: Azerbaijan hopes stagnation in Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict resolution will be overcome
Azerbaijan, Baku, May 21 / Trend, E.Tariverdiyeva /
Azerbaijan hopes that the stagnation in the process of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution will be overcome, Azerbaijani
Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said at a joint press conference
with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Rossiya 24 TV channel
reported on Tuesday.
"Moscow and Baku considered the agenda of Russian-Azerbaijani
relations and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the biggest problem
that Azerbaijan faces," Mammadyarov said.
According to Mammadyarov it is necessary to double or even triple the
efforts to address this difficult, but resolvable conflict.
"Relations between Azerbaijan and Russia are very positive in terms of
different areas. Our associations are developing in positive direction
in terms of the economic point of view and bilateral relations in
accordance with the agreement on strategic partnership, signed by the
presidents in 2008 and we are acting within this document,"
Mammadyarov 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 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven 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 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.
Mammadyarov said that over the past two years despite the meetings of
the conflict parties' foreign ministers, no specifics have been
achieved in the process.
"The formula of actions agreed by the two sides is simple. The
Armenian side would undertake the de-occupation of Azerbaijani
territories and the Azerbaijani side was responsible for the security
and the interim status for Nagorno-Karabakh and the restoration of a
normal situation in the region," Mammadyarov said.
According to the minister, the parties have held active negotiations
at presidential level, as a result of which the 'Updated Madrid
principles' were adopted in Athens in 2008, but the Armenian side
refused to work on the 'Great Peace Agreement'. Unfortunately, after
the last meeting of the presidents in Sochi, the negotiations stalled.
"Azerbaijan's position is consolidated with the OSCE Minsk Group,
including the presidents of the co-chair countries at the point that
the status quo is unacceptable and inadequate to the situation,"
Mammadyarov said.
He said today at the meeting with his Russian counterpart in Moscow,
they reached an agreement that one should not rest, but must triple
efforts in this context.
"Our position is consolidated with the 'Updated Madrid principles' and
I am pleased that Armenia has recently stated that it agrees with
these points. We believe it is necessary to begin work on a
comprehensive peace agreement.
"However, the biggest problem is the presence of Armenian troops on
the territory of Azerbaijan. If there is political will, we will be
able to reach the level of quite good neighbourly relations with
Armenia," Mammadyarov said.
May 21 2013
Foreign Ministry: Azerbaijan hopes stagnation in Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict resolution will be overcome
Azerbaijan, Baku, May 21 / Trend, E.Tariverdiyeva /
Azerbaijan hopes that the stagnation in the process of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution will be overcome, Azerbaijani
Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said at a joint press conference
with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Rossiya 24 TV channel
reported on Tuesday.
"Moscow and Baku considered the agenda of Russian-Azerbaijani
relations and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the biggest problem
that Azerbaijan faces," Mammadyarov said.
According to Mammadyarov it is necessary to double or even triple the
efforts to address this difficult, but resolvable conflict.
"Relations between Azerbaijan and Russia are very positive in terms of
different areas. Our associations are developing in positive direction
in terms of the economic point of view and bilateral relations in
accordance with the agreement on strategic partnership, signed by the
presidents in 2008 and we are acting within this document,"
Mammadyarov 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 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven 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 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.
Mammadyarov said that over the past two years despite the meetings of
the conflict parties' foreign ministers, no specifics have been
achieved in the process.
"The formula of actions agreed by the two sides is simple. The
Armenian side would undertake the de-occupation of Azerbaijani
territories and the Azerbaijani side was responsible for the security
and the interim status for Nagorno-Karabakh and the restoration of a
normal situation in the region," Mammadyarov said.
According to the minister, the parties have held active negotiations
at presidential level, as a result of which the 'Updated Madrid
principles' were adopted in Athens in 2008, but the Armenian side
refused to work on the 'Great Peace Agreement'. Unfortunately, after
the last meeting of the presidents in Sochi, the negotiations stalled.
"Azerbaijan's position is consolidated with the OSCE Minsk Group,
including the presidents of the co-chair countries at the point that
the status quo is unacceptable and inadequate to the situation,"
Mammadyarov said.
He said today at the meeting with his Russian counterpart in Moscow,
they reached an agreement that one should not rest, but must triple
efforts in this context.
"Our position is consolidated with the 'Updated Madrid principles' and
I am pleased that Armenia has recently stated that it agrees with
these points. We believe it is necessary to begin work on a
comprehensive peace agreement.
"However, the biggest problem is the presence of Armenian troops on
the territory of Azerbaijan. If there is political will, we will be
able to reach the level of quite good neighbourly relations with
Armenia," Mammadyarov said.