Azerbaijan, Baku, 18 March / Trend corr. K.Ramazanova / OSCE Minsk Group considers that the resolution 'State on the Azerbaijani occupied territories' passed by the UN Generally Assembly on 62nd session, exercise danger on the peaceful settlement of Armenian-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.
The three Minsk Group Co-Chair countries will vote against this unilateral draft resolution, which threatens to undermine the peace process, and they still reaffirm their support for the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and thus do not recognize the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh.
UN General Assembly supported the 'Resolution on the Situation in the Occupied Territories of Azerbaijan' proposed by Azerbaijan. The resolution demands immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of the Armenian Armed Forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.
Co-Chairs stated that the peaceful settlement is a long-term issue and would cause inevitable compromises in the settlement process of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
"When serious clashes have occurred along the Line of Contact with loss of lives, both the sides must refrain from unilateral and extremist actions either at the negotiating table or in the field."
There has been observed violation of ceasefire agreement on the contact line between the Armenian and Azerbaijani Armed Forces from 4 March. There was loss of lives of innocent people and several got wounded.
Official Baku considers Minsk Group Co-hairs led themselves to difficulties by voting against the Resolution, Araz Azimov, Deputy Foreign Minister, stated. "Co-chairs gave promises but could not implement them for many years," he said.
According to Azimov, Minsk Group has lost its efficiency. "Minsk Group unites such countries as Turkey and Germany, which have more understandable position towards the conflict," he said. Azimov also expressed his concern over the contradictory statements of Co-chairs -concerning the status of Nagorno-Karabakh and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.
The conflict between the two countries of the South Caucasus began in 1988, due to the Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Since 1992, the Armenian Armed Forces have occupied 20% of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven neighbouring districts. In 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement which ended the active hostilities. The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia, France, and the US) are currently holding the peaceful negotiations.