AZERBAIJAN EXPECTS OBJECTIVE APPROACH FROM ARMENIAN NEW ADMINISTRATION ON SOLUTION OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT – DEPUTY MINISTER
Trend News Agency
April 15 2008
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan, Baku, 15 April / Trend News corr. K.Ramazanova /
Azerbaijan expects an objective approach from the new administration
in Armenian as a solution to the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over
Nagorno-Karabakh, Araz Azimov, Deputy Foreign Minister, stated to
journalists in Baku on 15 April.
"We hope that the objective approach to the conflict will change the
subjective approach and only objective interests will be taken into
consideration to settle the conflict," the Deputy Minister said.
Azerbaijan is ready to continue the negotiations process. Azimov,
commenting Matthew Bryza, OSCE Minsk Group co-chair’s statement,
stated that the Armenian and Azerbaijan President could meet in the
near future. There is a need to remove some obstacles in order to
make it possible for the meeting between the Presidents to take place.
The conflict between the two countries of South Caucasus began in 1988
due to territorial claims by Armenia against Azerbaijan. Armenia has
occupied 20% of the Azerbaijani land including the Nagorno-Karabakh
region and its seven surrounding Districts. Since 1992, these
territories have been under the occupation of the Armenian Forces. 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 USA) are currently holding peaceful negotiations