Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb.17
Trend:
Armenia is trying to hinder the start of substantive talks again, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hikmet Hajiyev said.
He was commenting on the remarks made by Armenian foreign minister during the meeting with OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs.
"It is very regrettable that with his contradictory remarks, Armenian foreign minister once again showed the international community who really blocks the establishment of peace and security in the region," said Hajiyev.
He added the Armenian leadership is fully responsible for the ongoing tension, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said on Feb.17.
"By the way, the mentioned "Nagorno-Karabakh" has never participated in any round of negotiations on working out the basic principles," said Hajiyev. "Apparently, the Armenian side is by all means trying to hinder the start of substantive negotiations again."
The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan 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