Details added (the first version was posted at 13:46)
Azerbaijan, Baku, May 21 / Trend, E.Tariverdiyeva /
Azerbaijan hopes that the stagnation in the process of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution will be overcome, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said at a joint press conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Rossiya 24 TV channel reported on Tuesday.
"Moscow and Baku considered the agenda of Russian-Azerbaijani relations and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the biggest problem that Azerbaijan faces," Mammadyarov said.
According to Mammadyarov it is necessary to double or even triple the efforts to address this difficult, but resolvable conflict.
"Relations between Azerbaijan and Russia are very positive in terms of different areas. Our associations are developing in positive direction in terms of the economic point of view and bilateral relations in accordance with the agreement on strategic partnership, signed by the presidents in 2008 and we are acting within this document," Mammadyarov said.
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.
Mammadyarov said that over the past two years despite the meetings of the conflict parties' foreign ministers, no specifics have been achieved in the process.
"The formula of actions agreed by the two sides is simple. The Armenian side would undertake the de-occupation of Azerbaijani territories and the Azerbaijani side was responsible for the security and the interim status for Nagorno-Karabakh and the restoration of a normal situation in the region," Mammadyarov said.
According to the minister, the parties have held active negotiations at presidential level, as a result of which the 'Updated Madrid principles' were adopted in Athens in 2008, but the Armenian side refused to work on the 'Great Peace Agreement'. Unfortunately, after the last meeting of the presidents in Sochi, the negotiations stalled.
"Azerbaijan's position is consolidated with the OSCE Minsk Group, including the presidents of the co-chair countries at the point that the status quo is unacceptable and inadequate to the situation," Mammadyarov said.
He said today at the meeting with his Russian counterpart in Moscow, they reached an agreement that one should not rest, but must triple efforts in this context.
"Our position is consolidated with the 'Updated Madrid principles' and I am pleased that Armenia has recently stated that it agrees with these points. We believe it is necessary to begin work on a comprehensive peace agreement.
"However, the biggest problem is the presence of Armenian troops on the territory of Azerbaijan. If there is political will, we will be able to reach the level of quite good neighbourly relations with Armenia," Mammadyarov said.