NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT REMAINS MOST SERIOUS CHALLENGE TO SECURITY OF REGION: AZERBAIJANI MINISTER

TREND Info, Azerbaijan
Oct 4 2007

Azerbaijan, Baku / corr Trend K.Ramazaova / The Armenian-Azerbaijani
conflict remains the most serious challenge to the security of the
region, Elmar Mammadyarov, the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister, stated
in during his speech during the 62nd UN general Assembly.

The negotiations on the conflict resolution carried out in the
framework of the OSCE Minsk Group have not yielded results so far.

As a result of the conflict almost 20% of Azerbaijani territory is
still under the Armenian occupation. Azerbaijan hosts more than one
million refugees and IDPs, who were ethically cleansed and brutally
expelled from their homes in Armenia and in the occupied territories
of Azerbaijan.

Mammadyarov said that Armenia does not implement the resolution of the
UN Security Council, destroys all in the occupied territory, which
is associated with the heritage of Azerbaijan and carried out their
illegal activities. "UN should not allow it," the minister stressed.

He stressed that the resolution of he Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict
should be based on the international law and four UN Security Council
resolutions, which envisages the restoration of sovereignty and
territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

"From this high podium I would like to address the Armenian nation to
realize how dangerous is their policy of breaching peace and security
in the region as well as being counterproductive and disastrous
implications to the long-term perspectives of the development of
Armenia. I am confident that Azerbaijan will restore its sovereignty
and territorial integrity. This is only a question of time,"
Mammadyarov said.

The Azerbaijani minister also spoke about the country’s efforts in
provision of full transparency and accountability in the extractive
industry and his country’s contribution in ensuring global energy
security. He spoke about economic reforms in Azerbaijan, poverty
reduction, increase of welfare of the nation and stressed that
it turned to reality not only through the oil and gas revenues,
but also the Government’s policy and its loyalty to protect the
investor’s rights.

The conflict between the two countries of the South Caucasus began in
1988 as a result of territorial claims by Armenia against Azerbaijan.

Since 1992, Armenian Armed Forces have occupied 20% of Azerbaijani
land including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven neighboring
districts. In 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire
agreement at which time the active hostilities ended. The Co-Chairs
of the OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia, France, and the US) are currently
holding peaceful negotiations.