Azerbaijan, Baku, November 16 /Trend T.Jafarov/
Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad considers that the settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan is possible on conditions of negotiations, justice and mutual respect.
"The peoples of the region must live in peace and friendship. We are neighbors; we can not ignore our neighborhood. This is geography and history. If we try to resolve own problems fairly and friendly, solutions will be found to all problems. The settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is also possible on conditions of negotiations, justice and mutual respect", Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in his interview to Azerbaijani TV channel "Lider".
Iranian president is to visit Wednesday Azerbaijan for two days. He is to hold bilateral negotiations with the country's governance and to take part at the summit of the Caspian littoral countries' leaders.
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 seven surrounding districts.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the United States - are currently holding the peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding regions.
Ahmadinejad considers that the existence of the conflict in the region is damaging for everybody.
"This is the reason of the loss of resources, time by both sides, the creation of nervous tension and it is preventing the development. We repeatedly announced and assert now that Iran is ready to help to the settlement of the conflict", - Iranian president said in the interview.
Answering to the question regarding the non-acceptance by Armenia the Iran's offer on the mediation in the settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Ahmadinejad said that his country declared the capacity to promote the solution of the process.
"The first steps are implemented by us. If the result is not achieved then we will undertake other steps. We think the problem of the region must be resolved within the region. The interference of foreigners in such an issue will be the cause of the increased deepening of the conflict. This is confirmed by the practice. Let the negotiations to be continued. With the God's support other ways of exit will be discovered", - he said.