Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 22
By Leman Zeynalova - Trend:
Russia hails the possible meeting of the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia as part of the OSCE Ministerial Meeting in Milan on Dec. 6-7, Spokeswoman of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said at a press conference on Nov. 22.
"We would welcome another round of such a meeting if the parties agree to hold it. But it is the sovereign right of every state to decide on holding such meetings. If such a meeting takes place and turns out to be constructive, it can only be hailed," she said.
Zakharova also commented on Armenia's refusal to exchange captives with Azerbaijan according to the all-for-all principle.
"We hail any agreement that is in line with the main task of resolving the conflict. But the agreement involves consent and work to fulfill it. Therefore, the initiative [of Azerbaijan] is remarkable, but it needs to be worked out for it to turn into agreements," Zakharova said.
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.
---
Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn