Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 4
By Elena Kosolapova - Trend:
Uzbekistan stands for settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, counselor of the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Baku on economy and politics Jahangir Aminov said at a briefing August 4.
"The settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue should become an important factor, which will contribute to the further development and progress of the country," Aminov said. "Uzbekistan's position on this issue is unambiguous and consistent. We have always been in favor of a peaceful political solution to the problem of Nagorno-Karabakh. In this case, the Uzbek side believes that ensuring the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan should become one of the main conditions of its settlement."
He also emphasized that Uzbekistan attaches priority importance to boosting cooperation with Azerbaijan, considering it a key partner in the South Caucasus.
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.
Edited by CN
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