Madrid, Spain / Тrend corr A. Maharramli / The set of proposals which was submitted to the sides of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict by the OSCE Minsk Group on 29 November will become the main basis for negotiations even after presidential elections in Azerbaijan and Armenia, the Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian said to journalists in Madrid on 29 November.
"The document is equitable and balanced, and it covers all issues leading to settlement of the conflict and to removal of war consequences," the Minister said.
On 29 November, the OSCE Minsk Group's co-chairs submitted written suggestions (10 suggestions) on settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to Azerbaijan and Armenia.
The document was submitted by US Chair of the OSCE Minks Group Matthew Bryza, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and the US Assistant Secretary of State for International Affairs Nicolas Bern at the meeting between the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and the Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian in Madrid on 29 November.
Oskanian said the Madrid meeting was an important one which showed that the countries have hope for peaceful settlement.
The Armenian Foreign Minister was not confident whether a meeting involving Azerbaijani and Armenian Foreign Ministers and Presidents may take place in near future.
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.