Azerbaijan, Baku, Nov. 20 / Trend E.Ostapenko /
The situation with Nagorno-Karabakh is more positive now than at any time since the start of the conflict, International Institute for Strategic Studies Senior Fellow Oksana Antonenko said today at the "South Caucasus Security: Realities and Perspectives of Regional Cooperation" international conference in Baku. Intensified meetings between the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents testifies to this fact, she added.
The expert said if the chances of resolving the conflict in Georgia are thin, there is clear progress in resolving Nagorno-Karabakh.
The OSCE Minsk Group has become more active lately and is paving the way to strengthening trust between the two nations, Antonenko said.
The expert added that Azerbaijan's concerns over the protocols signed between Armenia and Turkey are well grounded.
Antonenko added that the country is also worried that today's progress may collapse and bring the talks back to earlier levels.
"The EU should lay out a concrete plan to advance the negotiations process," she said. "The plan should include proposals on how to reach a dialogue between the Azerbaijani and Armenian societies and how to achieve the return of refugees."
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the U.S. - are currently holding the peace negotiations.
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