Baku, Azerbaijan, July 29
By Elmira Tariverdiyeva – Trend:
Solving protracted conflicts, including the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, in the OSCE area will be in the spotlight of Italy’s agenda during its chairmanship at the OSCE, said Italy’s Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni.
“A solution to the crisis in and around Ukraine and the protracted conflicts in the OSCE area (Nagorno-Karabakh, Georgia and Transdniestria); the flows of migrants and refugees; and a strengthened partnership with countries on the southern shore of the Mediterranean, will be at the core of our agenda during our Chairmanship,” said Gentiloni.
Italy is to chair the OSCE in 2018.
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 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.