Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 17
By Anakhanum Hidayatova – Trend:
The US doesn’t recognize the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh, just like other countries, Robert Cekuta, the US ambassador to Azerbaijan, told reporters in Baku Feb. 17.
The ambassador made the remarks while responding to the question on “referendum” in the occupied Azerbaijani territories.
As it was noted in the statement of the OSCE Minsk Group, neither the US nor Azerbaijan and Armenia recognize the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh, said Cekuta.
The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Ambassadors Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, Stephane Visconti of France and Richard Hoagland of the US) have made a statement that no countries, including Armenia and Azerbaijan, recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as an independent and sovereign state.
Earlier, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry said that the illegal “referendum” constitutes a clear violation of the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the norms and principles of international law, and, therefore, has no legal effect whatsoever.
The ministry reiterated that the illegal regime established by Armenia in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan is ultimately nothing other than the product of aggression and occupation.
This provocative step, as well as Armenia’s attempts to change the name of the Nagorno-Karabakh region, the integral part of Azerbaijan, is yet another clear manifestation that Armenia is not genuinely interested in seeking a political settlement of the armed conflict, added the ministry.
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 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
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