AZERBAIJANI DEFENCE MINISTER, OSCE MINSK GROUP’S FRENCH CO-CHAIR DISCUSS NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT
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TREND Information
20.09.08 13:34
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, Baku, 20 September /Trend News corr. E.Abbasli/ The ways
to settle the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict were discussed at a meeting
between Azerbaijani Defence Minister Safar Abiyev and the OSCE Minsk
Group’s French co-chair Bernard Fassier on 19 September. Military and
political situation in the region was discussed, Azerbaijani Defence
Ministry said to Trend News on 19 September.

Fassier has been visiting Azerbaijan since 18 September. He commenced
his visit from Nagorno-Karabakh.

The visit of the OSCE Minsk Group’s US co-chair Matthew Bryza to the
region ended on 18 September. "Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia
are ready to take a decision on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,"
Bryza said at a news conference in Baku.

The conflict between the two countries of the South Caucasus began in
1988 due to Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan
lost the Nagorno-Karabakh, except of Shusha and Khojali, in December
1991. In 1992-93, Armenian Armed Forces occupied Shusha, Khojali and
Nagorno-Karabakh’s seven surrounding regions. In 1994, Azerbaijan
and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which time the active
hostilities ended. The countries keep on peace negotiating.

OSCE Minsk Group co-chaired by USA, Russia, France is engaged in
peace settling of the conflict.