Details added: first version posted on 15:39
BAKU, Azerbaijan, Aug.26
Trend:
Azerbaijan pins especial hopes on active role of Russia in settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeyhun Bayramov said.
Bayramov made the statement during the meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow, Trend reports on August 26.
“Russia is the co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, the largest regional power with long-standing close ties with the South Caucasus region,” he said. “In this regard, we pin especial hopes on Russia's active role in the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.”
“I would like to note with regret that no progress has been made in the settlement of the conflict. Armenia continues to occupy 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory,” the minister reminded. “The indigenous Azerbaijani population was expelled from these territories, and their homes are inhabited by ethnic Armenians from abroad, including the countries of the Middle East, which in turn is a gross violation of international humanitarian law, first of all, the Geneva Conventions.”
“Armenia continues to undermine the peace process under the auspices of the OSCE. The destructive position of Armenia led to an escalation of the situation on July 12-16 this year,” he stated. “The armed forces of Armenia inflicted strikes both on the military positions and peaceful villages of Azerbaijan. An attempt was made to seize Azerbaijani territories. Among the victims of this aggression was a 76-year-old resident of an Azerbaijani village, who died in the yard of his own house.”
“Azerbaijan's position on the settlement of the conflict is based on the norms and principles of international law, as well as documents adopted by international organizations, first of all, the resolutions of the UN Security Council," Bayramov added.
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, 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 the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts.