Azerbaijan, Baku, April 18 / Trend M. Aliyev /
Clarity was brought in confidence-building measures in the context of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement in April, Center for Political Innovation and Technologies Director Mubariz Ahmadoglu said at "Karabakh Hour" in Baku today.
He said the measures include the withdrawal of snipers from the frontline and organizing a dialogue between the Armenian and Azerbaijani communities of Nagorno-Karabakh. This dialogue will create the conditions for determining the status of Nagorno-Karabakh in the
future, he said.
"U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and EU Commissioner Stefan Fule called for the withdrawal of snipers," he said. "But this will not be enough for the real conflict settlement."
Russia's position on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict differs from the positions of other Minsk Group co-chairing countries, he said.
"Russia has demonstrated a more robust and clear stance," he said.
He said that the withdrawal of snipers will create an opportunity for Armenia's continuation the policy of imitating the negotiations.
"Armenia has not taken any real steps to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict for 20 years," he said. "It only imitates the negotiations."
He said that if the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict can be resolved peacefully, a new page will be opened in the world history.
He added that the Armenian leadership must seriously think about the situation in the country.
The country's leadership voices its opinion that the Armenian statehood is under a threat," he said. "The survey has recently showed that Nagorno-Karabakh issue in its importance ranks fifth for the Armenian population."
He added that the upcoming parliamentary elections will determine the further development of the situation in Armenia.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 per cent 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 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.