Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
Jan 18 2008

Azerbaijan and Armenia Need Time to Value Situation – French Co-chairman
18.01.08 12:15

Azerbaijan, Baku, 18 January / Trend corr. Ê.Ramazanova / Bernard
Fassier, the France Co-chair of OSCE Minsk Group, stated that the
time is necessary for both sides to value the proposals submitted to
the Azerbaijani and Armenian Foreign Ministries in December 2007.

`We explained the details of the proposals and listened to the first
reactions from both sides,’ Fassier said during his visit to Baku
from Yerevan. According to Fassier, the discussions in Yerevan and
Khankandi were very constructive. `We are confident that there is a
good possibility to continue our work,’ Fassier added.

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.