Azerbaijan, Baku, July 13 / Trend M.Aliyev /
The United States is working for a just settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in accordance with the norms and principles of the international law, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Celeste A. Wallander said at the meeting with Azerbaijani vice Parliamentary Speaker Ziyafat Asgarov in Baku, the parliamentary press service reported.
Wallander said the United States understands the importance of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem for Azerbaijan.
"Azerbaijan is able to liberate its territory by military means, but we are supporters of conflict resolution in accordance with the norms and principles of international law," Asgarov said.
Asgarov noted the importance of more active steps by the United States, as co-chair of OSCE Minsk Group, in settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
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.
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