Azerbaijan, Baku, May 26 /Trend, R.Darakhshan/
Romania does not recognize "parliamentary elections" organized on May 23 in Nagorno-Karabakh as legitimate, says the press-release of Romanian Foreign Ministry.
"Romania wishes to reiterate its consistent position of refusal to recognize the independence of the Nagorno-Karabakh region", says the statement.
Romanian Foreign Ministry reasserted its support for a peaceful, negotiated settlement of the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh and has urged the involved parties to increase the pace of the negotiations process.
"The Romanian side also wishes to reassert its support to the activity of the Minsk Group of the OSCE, as the sole format for negotiations to determine the future status of the Nagorno-Karabakh region", says the press-release.
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.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh region and the occupied territories.