Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 6
By Jamila Jafarova - Trend:
The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict should be solved in a peaceful method, according to Israel's Ambassador to Azerbaijan Rafael Harpaz.
"When it comes to the conflict here, we really hope and we really believe that it should be solved peacefully," he said. "What I am saying is based on our experience in our region."
Harpaz further said that the peaceful solution is the best solution and is very important, adding that Israel supports the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group.
He noted that generally speaking everyone wants the conflicts to be over, but when looking to the history, it is obvious that this doesn't happen as fast as one would like.
"We recognize the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan," Harpaz said. "This is our position. It was stated again and again by our foreign minister, by our president."
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, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently holding peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.