CHAIRMAN OF PACE SUB-COMMISSION ON NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT TO VISIT AZERBAIJAN

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
Feb 7 2008

Azerbaijan, Baku, 7 February /corr. " Trend " I.Alizade / Lord Russell
Johnston, the Head of the Sub-committee on the Nagorno-Karabakh
Conflict of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
(PACE), will commence his visit to Azerbaijan on 7 February, a source
at the Azerbaijan Parliament’s Department for Foreign Affairs reported
to Trend.

The visit is aimed at becoming familiarized with the situation around
Nagorno-Karabakh and the process of talks on the conflict. In addition,
the chairman of the Committee will discuss the issue of meetings of
the Azerbaijani and Armenian MPs.

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.

In January 2005, PACE passed the Resolution 1416 in connection with the
Nagorno-Karabakh problem. The Resolution says that Armenia occupies
Azerbaijani territories. It also contains various suggestions for
the settlement of conflict.

Johnston will meet with the Chairman of Azerbaijan Parliament, heads
of the permanent commissions, and the representatives of parties
at the Parliament. In addition, Johnston is expected to meet Ilham
Aliyev -the President of Azerbaijan.

The visit will conclude on 8 February.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress