Azer Tag, Azerbaijan
Feb 18 2005

REPRESENTATIVE ORTIZ CALLS ON CONGRESSMEN TO SUPPORT PEACEFUL
RESOLUTION OF ARMENIA-AZERBAIJAN CONFLICT
[February 18, 2005, 16:41:08]

Co-chair of the US Congress working group for Azerbaijan,
representative Solomon Ortiz calls on his House colleagues to support
peaceful resolution of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over
Nagorno-Karabakh.

The congressman stressed that occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and 7
adjacent regions of Azerbaijan by Armenian armed forces had created
one million Azerbaijani refugees and internally displaced people.

He noted referring to US Department of State that the United States
does not recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as an independent state.
According to Solomon Ortiz, despite no progress in finding solution
to the problem has been achieved within the OSCE Minsk group, the
U.S. is continuing its effort in this framework.

Mr. Ortiz let his colleagues know that the latest resolution on the
issue adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
confirms that a greater part of the Azerbaijani territories are under
occupation of the Armenian armed forces, and the Nagorno-Karabakh
region is under control of separatist forces. The document urges the
OSCE Minsk group co-chairs to continue their effort, and the
conflicting parties to fulfill relevant resolutions of the United
Nations, including renunciation of military operations, and
withdrawal of armed forces from all the occupied territories.

Congressman Ortiz noted that located between Russia and Iran,
Azerbaijan is the U.S. important ally in fighting terror. He reminded
in this connection that though US-Azerbaijan anti-terror cooperation
began even before September 11 events, it was intensified due to
Azerbaijan’s unconditional support of the coalition by becoming the
first Moslem state to send its soldiers to Iraq.