Azerbaijan, Baku / corr Trend K.Ramazanova / Armenian's agreement regarding the document [on the resolution to the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh], which was submitted to the table of talks, could be a crucial step in the negotiations, Elmar Mammadyarov, the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister, said in Baku on 13 September.
Earlier, Vardan Oskanian, the Armenian Foreign Minister, described the document as fair. "This document reflects all the necessary components," he said. He stated that the proposals enabled the problem to be resolved. "This is a balanced document and we are prepared to continue talks on this basis," Oskanian noted.
The Azerbaijani foreign minister stated that Armenia did not agree with a proposal made by the OSCE Minsk Group, which was sounded before the recent meeting of the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia in St. Petersburg. "If the Armenian foreign minister has stated that they agree with the document under discussion, this means the Armenians have changed their opinion," Mammadyarov stressed
The conflict between the two countries of South Caucasus began in 1988 due to territorial claims by Armenia against Azerbaijan. Armenia has occupied 20% of the Azerbaijani land including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven surrounding Districts. Since 1992, these territories have been under the occupation of the Armenian Forces. In 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which time the active hostilities ended. The Co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia, France and USA) are currently holding peaceful negotiations.