SYRIA NOT WANTS WORSENING OF KARABAKH PROBLEM: PRESIDENT

Trend Daily News
June 17, 2009 Wednesday 5:20 PM GMT +4
Azerbaijan

Syrian does not want worsening of the Karabakh problem, Syrian
President Bashar Asad said at a joint news conference with his
Armenian counterpart Serzh Sargsyan in Yerevan on June 17, News
Armenia reported.

"Of course, this is a difficult problem, but we do not want its
worsening, as from the Middle East experience, we know that it will
be difficult to solve this issue in this case," the Syrian president
noted.

The president said he wanted to know Armenia’s position in the Karabakh
problem before his visit to Azerbaijan.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed
forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including
the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts. Azerbaijan
and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of
the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. – are currently
holding the peace negotiations.