RESOLVE NAGORNO-KARABAKH, G8 LEADERS SAY

United Press International
July 11 2009

L’AQUILA, Italy, July 10 (UPI) — Azerbaijan and Armenia should
adhere to agreements on Nagorno-Karabakh in an effort to resolve
their differences, U.S., French and Russian leaders said Friday.

The presidents of the United States, Russia and France issued a joint
statement on the sidelines on the Group of Eight summit in L’Aquila,
Italy, expressing their commitment to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict as outlined in a November 2007 agreement in Madrid.

The Madrid agreement calls on Azerbaijan to assume control over
territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh, demands the rights of return
for displaced persons and proposes an international security guarantee
that could include a peacekeeping operation.

"We urge the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan to resolve the few
differences remaining between them and finalize their agreement on
these basic principles, which will outline a comprehensive settlement,"
the joint statement read.

Armenia and Azerbaijan fought a bitter military battle over
Nagorno-Karabakh in the early 1990s, and the regional fallout from
disputes over the territory remains tense despite a 1994 cease-fire.

Armenia is asking for self-determination over the region, while
Azerbaijan demands Armenian troops leave and allow Nagorno-Karabakh
to remain Azeri territory.

A conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh has the potential to pit Turkey
and Russia against Europe and the United States in a row that has a
distinct possibility of spilling over to the regional energy sector.