NATO BACKS PEACE SETTLEMENT OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT, SAYS DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL

Trend
Dec 16 2008
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, Baku, Dec.16 /Trend News, R.Novruzov/ NATO supports
peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

"We support settling of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict through
peaceful negotiations," NATO Deputy Secretary General Claudio
Bisogniero told journalists in Baku on Dec. 16.

NATO stands for solving the conflict and believes it will be good
for the entire region, he said.

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.

NATO believes that OSCE Minsk Group (MG) copes with its task. NATO
will support MG’s efforts in every way, said Deputy Secretary General.

Relations between NATO and Azerbaijan were established in 1992 after
accession of Azerbaijan to the North Atlantic Cooperation Council
(renamed in 1997 into Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council – EAPC). The
cooperation was steadily developing, following the Azerbaijan’s
accession to the Partnership for Peace Program in 1994. In addition
to supporting the reforms, one of the key goals of NATO-Azerbaijan
cooperation is to develop the ability of the country’s armed forces
to interact with the NATO forces in peacekeeping operations and crisis
response. Since 1999, Azerbaijani troops have been providing support to
NATO peacekeeping operations in Kosovo and since 2002 – in Afghanistan.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress