Azerbaijan, Baku, Oct. 15 / Trend, T. Hajiyev /
The Armenian political leadership does not allow to hold meetings between the Armenian and Azerbaijani communities of Nagorno-Karabakh, Deputy Executive Secretary of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party, MP Siyavush Novruzov told press on Saturday.
He said that Armenians, living in Nagorno-Karabakh, are Azerbaijani citizens. All their rights are protected within Azerbaijan.
It is important to hold meetings between the Armenian and Azerbaijani communities of Nagorno-Karabakh, Novruzov said.
"It is necessary to hold meetings with them, to explain that they are Azerbaijani citizens and they have all the rights as Azerbaijani citizens," he said. "Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh agree to hold these meetings. But the Armenian political leadership does not allow them to do this."
He said that an initiative group has been recently established in the South Caucasus. It always held meetings with Armenian MPs. These meetings were effective.
However, the Armenian leadership was dissatisfied did not allow to hold these meetings, Novruzov said.
"Thus, the South Caucasus initiative disappeared," he said. "I directly participated in this process. I can say that the Armenian intelligentsia supported these meetings and the peaceful settlement of the conflict. While holding these meetings, we explained what they can expect in the future. They realize the reality and maintain appropriate actions in this direction."
The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly considers the opportunity of holding a meeting between the Azerbaijani and Armenian communities of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
The head of the Azerbaijani delegation to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Vice-Speaker Bahar Muradova spoke at a news conference in the parliament. She proposed to discuss the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in the OSCE PA to organize meetings between the two communities.
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.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.