Azerbaijan, Baku, July 14 / Trend /
United States President Barack Obama thanked Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on his visit to Washington for his efforts in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution. The president emphasized the commitment of the U.S., as a co-chair state of the OSCE Minsk Group, to achieve a framework agreement in the conflict, the White House's website reported.
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 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.