Trend, Azerbaijan
July 10 2009

G-8 Summit issues statement on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict (UPDATE)

Azerbaijan, Baku, July 10 /Trend News, E.Tariverdiyeva/

The G-8 Summit in the Italian city L’Aquila city adopted a joint
statement by the presidents of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs.

"We, the presidents of the OSCE Minsk Group, confirm our commitment to
the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents in the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict settlement and encourage them to resolve some remaining
differences and conclude a peaceful settlement," the statement said.

"We instruct our mediators to provide the Armenian and Azerbaijani
presidents with an updated version of the Madrid paper, dated Nov. 29,
2007, containing the co-chairs’ latest proposals on forming of the
basic principles," the joint statement by leaders of Russia, the
United States and France said.

The presidents of Russia, the United States and France believe the
agreement between the Azerbaijani and Armenian leadership should be
achieved on the basis of the principles of the 2007 Madrid Agreement.

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.