Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
Dec 28 2007

Adoption of UN Resolution on Lingering Conflicts heated Argument
against Kosovo Variant: Azeri Minister
28.12.07 15:32

Azerbaijan, Baku / corr Trend E.Huseynov, A.Ismayilova / Baku
considers that the adoption of the UN Resolution on the lingering
conflicts proposed by the GUAM countries, will be a heated argument
against the application of Kosovo variant as a precedent for the
resolution of other conflicts, Elmar Mammadyarov, the Azerbaijani
Minister for foreign Affairs, stated in an interview with Trend on 28
December.

`This resolution envisages the settlement of the conflict within the
framework of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability
of the state borders of both the countries,: he said.

The GUAM ( Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova) countries
submitted to the 62nd session of UN General Assembly a draft
resolution on the `lingering conflicts’.

The `four’ calls on the nations to confirm the territorial integrity
of countries, where the separatist ethnic groups have been maintened
since the Soviet period – Nagorno-Karabakh in Azerbaijanå, Abkhaz and
Tzinkhvali regions in Georgia and Trans-Dniester in Moldova.

The GUAM countries reminded of the rights of refugees from the ethnic
conflict zones and the necessity of observing the security guarantees
for their repatriation and living, as well as the rights and freedoms
of all the ethnic groups in these areas.

According to Mammadyarov, conflicts should be resolved within the
framework of the international law. `The international organizations
and different countries state that the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict
should be resolved within the framework of the territorial integrity
of Azerbaijan,’ the minister said.

The conflict between the two countries of the South Caucasus began in
1988 due to the Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Since
1992, the Armenian Armed Forces have occupied 20% of Azerbaijan
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven neighbouring
districts. In 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire
agreement which ended the active hostilities. The Co-Chairs of the
OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia, France, and the US) are currently holding
the peaceful negotiations.