Ban Ki-moon: Azerbaijani, Armenian presidents’ meeting brings closer peace process

Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 23

Trend:

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed hope that the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents' meeting held in Bern December 19 will bring the countries closer to finding peaceful resolution in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, RIA Novosti reported.

"The summit offered the sides an opportunity to discuss practical steps of reducing the ceasefire violations and the number of civilian casualties, as well as to develop the ways to bring the peace process closer", UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon said.

Ban Ki-moon also stressed the activities of the OSCE MG co-chairs, who organized the summit in Switzerland.

He urged Baku and Yerevan to cooperate closely with the Minsk Group on further de-escalation of the situation and to refrain from actions that could lead to new violence.

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.