TREND news Agency – Baku, Azerbaijan
Presidents of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia to Discuss Nagorno-Karabakh
Problem

21.10.08

The meeting of the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia may take place in
Russia soon, where the State Heads will discuss the question of
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement, the President of Russia, Dmitry
Medvedev, said in Yerevan, ITAR-TASS reported.
`The meeting of three Presidents must take place soon. This meeting will be
held in Russia,’ Russian State Head said.
Formerly the President of Armenia, Serj Sarkisyan, stated that his country
`positively assesses the mediation mission of Russia in the OSCE Minsk
Group’ on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Together with other co-chairmen –
France and the USA, Russia `contributes to the process of peaceful
settlement of the Karabakh conflict’. ` Armenia again confirmed its
readiness for search for the solution on the basis of Madrid principles,’
said Sarkisyan after negotiations with Dmitriy Medvedev.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries appeared in 1988 due
to Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenia has occupied 20%
of the Azerbaijani lands including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven
surrounding districts. Since 1992 to the present time, these territories
have been under Armenian occupation. In 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed
a cease-fire agreement at which time the active hostilities ended. The
Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia, France and USA) are holding
peaceful negotiations.