Spain, Madrid /corr. Trend A.Maherremli / Written proposals regarding Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement were given to Azerbaijan and Armenia in order to prevent the possible future efforts to avoid the responsibility, Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister, Elmar Mammadyarov, reported to Trend Special Correspondent on 29 November in Madrid
On 29 November the Co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group presented written proposals regarding Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement. The pack includes ten proposals.
The document was given at Azerbaijan Foreign Minister's meeting with the Foreign Minister of Armenia, Vardan Oskanyan, US Co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, Matthew Bryza, Foreign Minister of Russia, Sergey Lavrov, US Assistant Secretary of State for International Affairs, Nicolas Bern, on 29 November in Madrid.
"The proposals were formed in a written manner in order to ensure continuance of the talks after the presidential elections in both countries," Mammadyarov said.
The presidential elections in Azerbaijan and Armenia have been scheduled for 2008. According to the Minister, the sides are already familiar with the proposals of the Minsk Group, which have been discussed over the recent three years, and there is nothing new.
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 the active hostilities ended. The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia, France, and the US) are currently holding peaceful negotiations.