Azerbaijan, Baku, Nov 17 /Trend/
Foreign Ministry of Uruguay has replied to Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry's note of protest regarding the visit of the delegation led by chairman of Uruguayan Parliament's House of Representatives to the occupied Azerbaijani territories, said the press service of the Foreign Ministry.
Uruguay's Foreign Ministry declared regarding the Uruguayan parliamentarians' visit to Nagorno Karabakh that Uruguay's international activity is based on strong and traditional principles and values such as respect for states' sovereignty, territorial integrity, people's right to self-determination, non-interference in internal affairs, peaceful resolution of conflicts and international law, as well as other fundamental principles of the UN, of which Uruguay is a founding member.
It is also noted that the maintenance of international peace and security is one of the major principles of the UN Charter strongly supported by Uruguay.
"Uruguay has deep and traditional ties with the Republic of Armenia and cordial and constructive friendship with the Republic of Azerbaijan. Therefore, the biggest desire of Uruguay's government can be nothing but to make efforts to solve the conflict between its two friendly states only through dialogue, understanding and other peaceful ways that will ensure coexistence and cooperation of the relevant nations and governments, this will of course be reflected in the future prosperity and welfare of the entire region. Uruguay's behavior or position must by no means be interpreted outside this framework, other goals or intentions are out of the question," said in the note.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven 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 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.
The Azerbaijani Embassy in Argentina, which is also accredited to Uruguay, has sent a note of protest to the Uruguayan Foreign Ministry after a delegation led by Chairman of the Uruguayan House of Representatives visited the Azerbaijani lands occupied by Armenia.