Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov.9
Trend:
Peaceful settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will bring peace and prosperity to the region which has been suffering from the conflict for a long time, the US co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group James Warlick told Armenpress.
Together with Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers, the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs are holding preparations for the meeting of the two countries' presidents by late 2015, Warlick added.
The US co-chair said that during the meeting, the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents are expected to discuss the basic elements of resolving the conflict.
He expressed hope that the upcoming meeting will give a new impetus to intensifying the dialogue.
The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs will continue their efforts as long as the sides appreciate their role, said Warlick, adding that nevertheless, the final decision should be made by the presidents.
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 the UN Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.