SWITZERLAND CONSIDERS DIALOGUE MAJOR TOOL TO PREVENT CONFLICTS: AMBASSADOR

Trend
Nov 3 2009
Azerbaijan

Switzerland always adhered to the need to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict peacefully, Swiss Ambassador to Azerbaijan Alain Guidetti
told media Nov. 3.

"Switzerland considers the establishment of a dialogue as one of the
major tools for preventing conflicts," Guidetti said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan
lost all of Nagorno-Karabakh except for Shusha and Khojali in
December 1991. In 1992-93, Armenian armed forces occupied Shusha,
Khojali and seven districts surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan
and Armenia signed a ceasefire in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE
Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. — are currently holding
peace negotiations.