Azerbaijan, Baku, Oct. 14 / Trend, S. Ahmadova /
The settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will open up new opportunities for regional cooperation and will bring lasting stability and prosperity to the region, Azerbaijani ambassador to the United Kingdom Fakhraddin Gurbanov's letter sent to the "The Economist" magazine in response to the article "Nagorno-Karabakh: a festering wound" , published on its website on October 4.
Gurbanov stressed that the continued occupation of Azerbaijani territory by Armenian forces threatens peace and stability in the South Caucasus region.
He added that in general, this is a source of instability for the future of the region, the Azerbaijani embassy in London told Trend today.
The ambassador also said that it is necessary for the Armenian Armed Forces to withdraw from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan and return all displaced people home. This is important in resolving the conflict.
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.