The main course of foreign policy of Armenia and Azerbaijan should be directed at the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Terry Davis, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, said in Yerevan on 5 October.
"Regulation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh should be a relevant task for Azerbaijan and Armenia. The Council of Europe formed its commissions in both countries. The conflict should be resolved peacefully and both countries agreed on the issue," Davis said during a press-conference with participation of the Foreign Minister, Vardan Oskanain, News-Armenia reported.
The conflict between the two countries of the South Caucasus began in 1988 due to Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Since 1992, Armenian Armed Forces have occupied 20% of Azerbaijan including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven surrounding districts. In 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which time active hostilities ended. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia, France, and the US) are currently holding peaceful negotiations.
The Council of Europe, as well as Davis himself is interested in a settlement of the conflict.
However, settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is not included in the activities of the Council of Europe.