Baku, Azerbaijan, May 4
By Elchin Mehdiyev – Trend:
All participants of the 4th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue know about the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Azerbaijani Culture and Tourism Minister Abulfas Garayev said at a press-conference in Baku May 4.
The 4th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue kicked off in Baku on the theme “Advancing Intercultural Dialogue: New Avenues for Human Security, Peace and Sustainable Development” May 4.
"We invited the Armenian representatives through international organizations,” he said. “The negotiations have been held, but the Armenian representatives are not ready for dialogue."
Garayev said that an intercultural dialogue can play an important role in resolving conflicts in the world.
"We would like the conflicts to be resolved peacefully and through negotiations,” he said.
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.