The Azerbaijani territories occupied by the Armenian armed forces should be released immediately, Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu said in a recent statement, the Turkish Zaman newspaper reported.
"Discussions on this matter should take place in the framework of the decisions of international organizations such as the U.N., OSCE and the OIC," Ihsanoglu said.
Ihsanoglu strongly condemned the tragedy that took place in the Azerbaijani town of Khojaly19 years ago.
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 and the surrounding regions.
The Armenian military forces committed genocide in Khojaly on Feb. 26, 1992. More than 600 people were killed, including 63 children, 106 women and 70 old men. A total of 1,000 civilians were disabled during the genocide. Eight families were annihilated, 130 children lost one parent, and 25 lost both. Additionally, 1,275 peaceful residents were taken hostage, while the fate of 150 remains unknown.