Azerbaijan, Baku, Aug.10 / Trend, S.Agayeva /
The approximation in the parties' positions on some issues in accordance with the basic Madrid principles has become possible at the meetings and negotiations held recently upon the President Dmitry Medvedev's initiative and participation, Head of the Foreign Relations Department at the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration Novruz Mammadov told Trend on Wednesday.
"Exchanging views on various regional and international issues, the heads of states discussed the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement and the negotiation process in this regard. The presidents' position can be expressed as follows: the approximation in the parties' positions on some issues in accordance with the basic Madrid principles has become possible at the meetings and negotiations held recently upon the President Dmitry Medvedev's initiative and participation. Therefore, it is necessary to further continue the negotiations," Mammadov said, commenting on the results of Sochi meeting of Presidents Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan and Dmitry Medvedev of Russia on Tuesday.
As known, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev made a working visit to Sochi city upon the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's invitation on Aug.9.
Mammadov said President Aliyev once again presented Azerbaijan's position on the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement to President Dmitry Medvedev's attention.
"At the end of the meeting, the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev thanked the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev for the invitation to make a working visit, special attitude and attention during the visit, as well as for very effective exchange of views. At the same time, President Aliyev said after the negotiations that as it was in the Kazan meeting, the Armenian government repeatedly demonstrates insincerity, shifting the failure of negotiations to Azerbaijan, using the opportunities of circles and Diaspora close to the Armenian leadership," he said.
Mammadov said during the visit, the Presidents appreciated the bilateral relations and cooperation established between the Azerbaijani Republic and Russian Federation and expressed their determination to continue efforts in this regard.
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.
Novruz Mammadov's statement can be followed on his page www.twitter.com/NovruzMammadov on Twitter social network.