AZERBAIJAN HAS RIGHT TO LIBERATE ITS LANDS: JORDAN GENERAL

Trend News Agency
July 17 2008
Azerbaijan

If the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is not resolved
by peaceful means, Azerbaijan has a right to liberate its lands,
Khalid Jamil al Sarayrah, chairman of the United Committee of the
Heads of Headquarters of the Armed Forces of Jordan said in his
meeting with the Defense Minister of Azerbaijan Safar Abiyev.

The defense minister of Azerbaijan informed his guest of the military
and political situation in the region.

The Minister said that 15-year mediation of OSCE Minsk Group on the
peaceful resolution of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict does not yield any
results and added that if no results are achieved in resolving the
conflict by peaceful means, Azerbaijan can resort to serious measures
to liberate its occupied lands.

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.