Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct.28
By Anakhanum Khidayatova - Trend:
All refugees and IDPs should return to their native lands, Russian co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Igor Popov said Oct.28.
He made the remarks during the meeting with the representatives of the Azerbaijani community of Nagorno-Karabakh.
OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs are on a visit to the region.
"We discussed this issue during the meetings in Armenia and Azerbaijan," said Popov. "We have certain disagreements, but we are united in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict."
"It is not an easy problem, but we will continue to work on it," he added.
Russian co-chair said that the result will be achieved when the sides reach an agreement.
"The decision is made not only by us," he noted.
Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents have intentions to meet, said Popov and expressed hope that this meeting will be held by late 2015.
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.
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