SEVERAL AZERBAIJANI SOCIO-POLITICAL ORGANIZATIONS DEMAND TO SUSPEND NAGORNO-KARABAKH NEGOTIATIONS
TREND News Agency
June 20 2008
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan, Baku, 20 June / Trend News corr I. Alizade/ A range of
socio-political organizations in Azerbaijan demand to suspend peace
negotiations between Azerbaijan and Armenia on peace settlement of
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. "Pro-Armenian position of the OSCE
Minsk Group’s co-chairs mediating between Azerbaijan and Armenia,
as well as international organizations’ pressure on Azerbaijan impede
the negotiations," says declaration which was passed after meeting of
the socio-political organizations which was held on 20 June through
the mediation of the Karabakh Liberation Organization (KLO).
The conflict between the two countries of the South Caucasus began in
1988 due to Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan
lost the Nagorno-Karabakh, except of Shusha and Khojali, in December
1991. In 1992-93, Armenian Armed Forces occupied Shusha, Khojali and
Nagorno-Karabakh’s seven surrounding regions. In 1994, Azerbaijan
and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which time the active
hostilities ended. The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia,
France, and the US) are currently holding peaceful, but fruitless
negotiations.
For peaceful settlement of the Nagorb-Karabakh conflict in 1992 about
10 OSCE countries established Minsk Group. Since 1997, Minks Group
includes co-chairmen from three countries – USA, Russia and France.
Declaration says the negotiations being held through the mediation of
the Minsk Group co-chairs are intended to make Azerbaijan to strike
a compromising peace.
KLO Chairman Akif Nagi thinks the period of negotiations must be
determined, after expiration of which Azerbaijan must commence
liberation of its territory in a military way.