Trend News Agency
Feb 21 2008

Azerbaijan not Ready for Meeting with Armenian New President – Deputy
Minister (video)
21.02.08 15:25

Azerbaijan, Baku, 21 February / Trend News corr. I.Alizadeh /
Azerbaijan is not ready to meet with the new President of Armenia to
hold negotiations on THE regulation of THE Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

`Time is needed to prepare for the meeting. The initiative of OSCE
Minsk Group is necessary in order to hold negotiations on the
settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,’ Araz Azimov, the Deputy
Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan, stated to journalists.

The presidential elections were held in Armenia on 19 February.
According to the latest information by Armenian Central Election
Commission, Serj Sarkisan, Prime Minister, collected about 52.86% of
votes and won the elections. Armenian opposition does not agree with
the results.

Azimov said that the new initiatives would define the next steps
which Azerbaijan will take. The date for the co-chairmen’ visit to
the region has not yet been announced.

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.