DISCUSSIONS ON NAGORNO-KARABAKH IS POSSIBLE BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND OPPOSITION IN AZERBAIJAN
Trend News Agency
April 4 2008
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan, Baku, 3 April / corr. TrendNews G. Jabiyev/ The
oppositional Democratic Party of Azerbaijan (DPA) believes that
there are similar opinions in both the Azerbaijani Government and
the Opposition regarding the solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
"We believe that discussions should be held on the Nagorno-Karabakh
issue and the common principles should be agreed upon," Sardar
Jalaloglu, the DPA chairman and the candidate for presidency from
the party said to TrendNews on 3 April.
The Resolution on Situation in Occupied Territories of Azerbaijan was
adopted by UN in March. Both the Government and Opposition strongly
condemned the fact that the member states of OSCE Minsk Group voted
against the document.
Jalaloglu said that these similar opinions should be advanced for
discussion. "In addition, the Council of Europe is expected to exert
pressures on Azerbaijan regarding the internal issues of the country.
DPA believes that the agreement should be reached in this regard as
well," Jalaloglu said.
According to Mubariz Gurbanli, the Deputy Executive Secretary of
ruling Yeni Azerbaijan (New Azerbaijan) Party and MP, there are no
serious dissent between the Azerbaijani Government and the Opposition
on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. "We are ready for discussions," he said.
The conflict between the two countries of the South Caucasus began
in 1988 due to Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Since
1992, Armenian Armed Forces have occupied 20% of Azerbaijan including
the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven surrounding districts. In
1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which
time the active hostilities ended. The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk
Group ( Russia, France, and the US) are currently holding peaceful
negotiations.