Details added (first version posted on 14:35)
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 4
By Seba Aghayeva - Trend:
The participation of the head of the separatist regime of Nagorno-Karabakh at the event of UK Chatham House (the Royal Institute of International Affairs) by no means implies the recognition of this regime, Chatham House said in response to Azerbaijani embassy in UK, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry told Trend July 4.
Earlier, Azerbaijan's embassy in the UK sent a letter of protest to the Royal Institute over the planned participation of the head of the separatist regime of Nagorno-Karabakh Bako Sahakyan at the event of this institute July 8.
Following the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the separatist regime was established in Azerbaijan's Nagorno-Karabakh.
Chatham House sent a response letter to Azerbaijani embassy, saying that the upcoming event doesn't mean the recognition of the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh regime.
The institute's management understands the concern of Azerbaijani side over the visit of Bako Sahakyan and respects Azerbaijan's sovereignty and independence, said the response letter.
Chatham House added that the upcoming meeting is not a public event with participation of media. It will be held with participation of a narrow circle of experts of the institute in accordance with the "Chatham House Rule" and will by no means promote separatism, said the response letter.
Taking into account the narrow format of the event, the announcement about it has been removed from the site of Chatham House, said the institute.
Earlier, Azerbaijan expressed protest to the UK over the possible visit of the head of the separatist regime of Nagorno-Karabakh to this country.
The UK ambassador to Azerbaijan Irfan Siddiq was invited to Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry where the country's Deputy Foreign Minister Khalaf Khalafov expressed strong protest of Azerbaijan over the planned visit of the head of the separatist regime of Nagorno-Karabakh Bako Sahakyan to the UK on July 8 and participation in the event organized by the Royal Institute of International Affairs.
Irfan Siddiq for his part said that the UK doesn't recognize the regime in Nagorno-Karabakh and has no relations with it.
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.
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