NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT MUST BE SETTLED THROUGH PEACE NEGOTIATIONS – LITHUANIAN PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE’S CHAIRMAN
Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
Oct 23 2007
Azerbaijan, Baku / Trend corr. E.Huseynli / The Armenian-Azerbaijani
conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh must be settled through peace
negotiations, Yustisnas Karosas, the chairman of the Committee on
Foreign Affairs, said.
Lithuania as a member of the European Union backing peace resolving
all conflicts through peace negotiations.
The conflict between the two countries of the South Caucasus began
in 1988 due to Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Since
1992, Armenian Armed Forces have occupied 20% of Azerbaijan including
the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven surrounding 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.
During his visit to Azerbaijan Karosas is planning to discuss prospects
of development of economic and cultural relations between Azerbaijan
and Lithuania with Azerbaijani officials. Karosas will also meet with
Oktay Asadov, the Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament.