Azerbaijan, Baku, September 11 / Trend E. Tariverdiyeva /
If Azerbaijan submits the resolution on Nagorno-Karabakh for consideration of the UN General Assembly, GUAM countries will fully support this initiative, Secretary General of the Organization for Democracy and Economic Development - GUAM, Valeri Chechelashvili, told Trend .
"The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is a conflict on the territory of the GUAM countries. It is one of the most protracted conflicts. Our common resolution concerns it. At present, this conflict is in agenda. So, it can be considered, but the Azerbaijani government must make this decision", Chechelashvili said over phone from Kiev.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan lost all of Nagorno-Karabakh except for Shusha and Khojali in December 1991. In 1992-93, Armenian armed forces occupied Shusha, Khojali and 7 districts surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the U.S. - are currently holding the peace negotiations.
Consideration of this conflict is in full accordance with item of General Assembly's agenda, Secretary General of GUAM said.
Chechelashvili said that when Azerbaijan decides to submit any resolution that could concern return of refugees and other issues including conflict or the resolution directly related to settlement of the conflict, the GUAM countries will support Azerbaijan.
Formulating and ideology of further possible resolution, as well as date of its submission to the UN General Assembly depend on Azerbaijan, " he said.
"It is rather complicated procedure to submit the resolution, including search of a partner, consultations with countries, talks. So, it will be done in future. If Azerbaijan decides to use this item of the agenda to announce about Nagorno-Karabakh problem in any perspective in the UN General Assembly and it is quite entitled to do it. The GUAM countries will fully support it", Chechelashvili said.
The GUAM was established for regional cooperation in 1997 during a summit of presidents of European Union countries. The organization was inactive till 2005. Major issues of summits within the last three years were settlement of regional conflicts and coordination of efforts to ensure energy security.
The 64-th session of the UN General Assembly will be launched in New York in the second half of September. The delegation headed by Azerbaijani foreign minister Elmar Mammadyarov will represent Azerbaijan at the session, official representative of the Azerbaijani foreign ministry, Elhan Poluhov, told Trend on September 11.
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