AZERBAIJANI AND ARMENIAN PRESIDENTS TO MEET IN EUROPE: AZERBAIJANI FM
Trend
Nov 11 2009
Azerbaijan
The Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents will meet in Europe by late
November, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov told media
today.
"According to my information, the presidents will meet in a
European city. Ilham Aliyev and Serzh Sargsyan have agreed to meet,"
Mammadyarov said.
Afterward, OSCE foreign ministers will meet in Athens Dec. 1-2 to
discuss the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
He added that the sides have failed to achieve new proposals to solve
the conflict.
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.
"We continue discussing principles that have been considered at the
talks for the last five years," Mammadyarov said.
He noted that the talks on Nagorno-Karabakh are a step-by-step process
envisaging first the withdrawal of Armenian troops from Azerbaijani
occupied territories and the further restoration of communications
in the region.
"Then, the IDPs must return to these territories," Mammadyarov said.
"Peace and stability must be created. The economic situation must
improve. Afterward, it will be possible to determine Nagorno-Karabakh’s
status."
The Azerbaijani side repeatedly stated that Armenians and Azerbaijanis
living together will be able to determine Nagorno-Karabakh’s status
in the future. But this status can be determined only by honoring
the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, the minister said.
Mammadyarov said there are many such examples. The Tatars and Bashkirs
determined their status within the territorial integrity of Russia
and the Hungarians in Slovakia, the minister said.
"I do not believe that we can reach any final decision now. We cannot
speak about any other issues before implementing the first stage, which
includes withdrawing Armenian troops from the occupied territories,"
Mammadyarov said.
He said the Armenians want to discuss myriad issues before the
withdrawal of their troops.