Azerbaijan, Baku, April 23 / Trend , E.Tariverdiyeva/
OSCE Minsk Group French Co-chair Bernard Fassier believes results of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict settlement process depends on the authorities of Azerbaijan and Armenia, he said before his visit to Baku from Yerevan where he together with the Russian and U.S. co-chairs held the negotiations with the Armenian leadership on the Karabakh settlement.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the U.S. - are currently holding the peace negotiations.
The French co-chair believes there is a real advance in the conflict settlement process which testifies the mediators' activity.
"There was a definite spirit at the meetings in Yerevan and we state that the most active work is being conducted to solve the conflict at the moment," Fassier said.