PACE CONGRATULATES AZERBAIJAN, ARMENIA ON NEW STEP TO SETTLE NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT: PRESIDENT

TREND News Agency
Nov 4 2008
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, Baku, 4 November /Тrend News corr. R.Novruzov/ PACE
President congratulated Azerbaijan and Armenia on a new step to settle
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict by political means.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Armenia’s Serzh Sargsyan and
Russia’s Dmitry Medvedev signed a declaration at the end of their
meeting in Mein Dorf castle near Moscow on 2 November.

"The beginning of this dialogue is a new hope for the entire region
in terms of stability," said PACE President Lluís Maria de Puig.

According to Puig, PACE is always ready to render assistance to
Azerbaijan and Armenia in their efforts to achieve a peace solution
of the conflict. "Settling of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is closest
than ever," he said, adding that this step will entail more intensive
diplomatic negotiations, will improve the trust between Azerbaijan
and Armenia. "We have been working over the peace settling of the
conflict for a rather long period and I am sure the solution is
nearing," he said.

Guided by the international principles PACE has been working to achieve
a peace settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict over last 15 years,
since Azerbaijan and Armenia joined the Council of Europe.

"Presidents of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan who in detail discussed
current state and prospective of the settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict by political means, continuing direct dialogue between
Azerbaijan and Armenia through Russia, U.S. and France’s mediation as
co-chairmen of OSCE Minsk Group in a constructive atmosphere, declared
that they would contribute to normalizing the situation in the South
Caucasus and ensure establishment of stability and security in the
region by the settling the conflict by political means," says the
declaration signed at the end of trilateral meeting.

The declaration calls for the settlement of the conflict in line
with the principles and norms of international law and decisions
and documents adopted in this respect which will create favourable
conditions for economic development and comprehensive cooperation in
the region.

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.

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