TREND , Azerbaijan
Nov 28 2008

Next Year to be Exceptional to Achieve Settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh
Conflict, Says French President
28.11.08 12:37

The next year will be exceptional and reasonable to achieve settlement
of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and it is necessary to use this
opportunity, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said, Stat Information
Agency Azertag reported.

`France as co-chairman of the Minsk Group will make every effort to
achieve peaceable and fair settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict,’ French President Sarkozy’s letter, addressed to Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliyev, said.

Armenia has occupied 20% of Azerbaijan’s lands including
Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding seven regions. The occupation began
in 1988. 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 Co-Chairs of the OSCE
Minsk Group (Russia, France, and the US) are currently holding
peaceful, but fruitless negotiations

`As you know, I am interested in this issue very much and welcomed
encouraging results of the Moscow meeting between Presidents of
Azerbaijan and Armenia on 2 November with mediation of Russian
President Dmitriy Medvedev,’ Sarkozy said.

France is prepared to contribute to this positive dynamics and intends
to assist in turning Caucasus into peace and progress zone.