Azerbaijan, Baku, 03 November / Trend , corr. I.Alizade / Official Baku considers that signing joint statement on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement between the Presidents of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia in Moscow will accelerate the process of the conflict solution.
"Signing the statement is an historical event for the conflict settlement and is the beginning of a new process," Novruz Mammadov, Head of Azerbaijan Presidential Administration's Foreign Relations Department, told Trend on 3 November.
On 2 November at Mayn Dorf Palace in Moscow, the Presidents of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Armenia Serj Sarkisyan and Russia Dmitry Medvedev passed a statement as a result of their meeting. The statement highlights solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in accordance with the international law.
During his visit to Armenia last month, the President of Russia suggested the heads of the two states to meet in Moscow.
"If the Armenian side thinks that the conflict solution is very necessary for its people, state and there is not other way of conflict settlement, undoubtedly the joint statement signed in Moscow must accelerate the process. If to take into consideration that the Russian side, as a guarantee, signed the document, then there is no doubt that the statement will accelerate the conflict settlement," official of the Presidential Administration said.
He said that the document signed in Moscow is the result of 14 years difficult talks with regards to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement. Mammadov stated that this is the first document being signed between the Presidents regarding the settlement of this conflict. The official of the Presidential Administration said that up to now, difficult moments have always existed and it was impossible to reach a mutual understanding. "Now signing such a document at least is an unique event in the process of the conflict settlement," he said.
He thinks that the document makes clear many moments with the conflict settlement and determines and concretizes certain duties facing the Presidents, the sides.
"The document shows that the conflict exists between the two countries and must be solved based on the principles and norms of the international law, in a step-by-step manner. In addition, the document says that the OSCE Minsk Group must actively work in the settlement of the conflict and the co-chairmen should strengthen their mediation. The statement may be compass in the conflict settlement. The document reflects the base principles and the OSCE Minsk Group member countries support this," Mammadov said.
Mammadov said that the Presidents of the three countries have not discussed the placement of peaceful forces in the region after the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement.
"If this issue would be discussed, this would be reflected in the document. There is such an opinion that there will be no need to place peaceful forces in the region after the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement. I consider that we have passed the most difficult years, stage. The signed document may reduce the tension. If there was not need for peaceful forces in the difficult situation which existed up to now, we ourselves have ensured peace, is it necessary to bring peaceful forces under the condition where reduction is observed in tension? Maybe for this reason, the agenda does not include the issue of peaceful forces and maybe will not include," the official of the Presidential Administration said.
He said that already the USA has also approved the document signed in Moscow. "The USA also considers that the document was established based on the base principles and the work must be continued in this regard and the document will accelerate the settlement process," he said.
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.
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