Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 16
Trend:
The international organizations' actions on resolving the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict are futile, Azerbaijani Defense Minister, Colonel-General Zakir Hasanov said at a meeting with the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen - Igor Popov (Russia), Pierre Andrieu (France), James Warlick (US) and special representative of the OSCE Chairman Andrzej Kasprzyk, the defense ministry said Feb. 16.
During the meeting, the guests discussed the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the situation on the frontline.
Hasanov informed all present about the situation in the region, the continued occupation of Azerbaijani territories by Armenia, the existing problems of refugees and internally displaced persons, as well as the ineffectiveness of the actions taken by international organizations to resolve the conflict.
In conclusion, the sides exchanged views on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently holding peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.
Edited by CN