BAKU, Azerbaijan, Jan. 31

By Ilhama Isabalayeva – Trend:

US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Lee Litzenberger has commented on the latest meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers with mediation of OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, Trend reports.

He said it is always gratifying to see parties meet to conduct constructive and substantive negotiations,

Litzenberger expressed hope that the public read the joint statement of the Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia and the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group after the talks.

"Once again, we hope that the negotiations will continue," the ambassador said.

A meeting between the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and his Armenian counterpart Zohrab Mnatsakanyan was held in Geneva on Jan. 28-30.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts.