Baku, Azerbaijan, March 19
Trend:
Azerbaijan is conducting a peaceful policy, always taking all necessary steps to reduce tensions on the contact line of the Armenian-Azerbaijani troops, Azerbaijani Defense Ministry told Trend.
Azerbaijan is in favor of a fruitful cooperation with any international organization regarding the conflict's settlement, said the ministry, expressing attitude towards the call of the Personal Representative to the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk to adhere to the ceasefire in light of the Novruz holiday and Easter holidays.
A fair approach to the issue of Azerbaijani lands' liberation from the occupation and the restoration of the country's territorial integrity is expected from the conflict settlement process, said the ministry.
Azerbaijani Defense Ministry states that Azerbaijan's Armed Forces conduct all necessary measures for the maintenance of the ceasefire and expects the OSCE to demand from the Armenian side to take adequate steps.
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 withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.