AZERBAIJAN YOUTH READY TO JOIN DIALOGUE WITH ARMENIAN YOUTH – MINISTER
Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
Dec 18 2007
Azerbaijan, Baku / Òrend corr S. Agayeva / The Azerbaijan youth
are ready to join the dialogue with the youth of Armenia within the
framework of the people’s diplomacy, as this initiative may promote
the settlement of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the
Azerbaijani Youth and Sports Minister Azad Rahimov stated to Trend
on 18 December.
According to the Minister, the trust is being actively established
between the Azerbaijani and the Armenian people within the framework of
people’s diplomacy. A group of the art figures from both the countries
recently visited Azerbaijan and Armenia in order to reveal whether
there is a common ground for the position. "I think the Azerbaijani
youth will also support the initiatives and will join the process if
necessary," Rahimov said.
A dialogue between the youth of both the countries took place during
the international conferences in San-Francisco and Brussels. One more
meeting will be held in the Paris in the near future, he said.
The conflict between the two countries of the South Caucasus began
in 1988, due to the Armenian territorial claims against the Azerbaijan.
Since 1992, the Armenian Armed Forces have occupied 20% of Azerbaijan,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven neighbouring
districts. In 1994, a ceasefire agreement signed by Azerbaijan and
Armenia ended the active hostilities. The Co-Chairs of the OSCE
Minsk Group ( Russia, France, and the US) are currently holding the
peaceful negotiations.
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