Azerbaijan, Baku / Trend corr. E.Huseynov / OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs on regulation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh hold consultations in Paris. The co-chairmen will visit Azerbaijan and Armenia after consultations on 24 and 27 October. They will discuss the current stage of the conflict, the Group on Nagorno-Karabakh at the Russian Foreign Ministry reported to the Trend Agency on 18 October.
The conflict between the two countries of the South Caucasus began in 1988 due to Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Since 1992, Armenian Armed Forces have occupied 20% of Azerbaijan including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven surrounding districts. In 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which time the active hostilities ended. The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia, France, and the US) are currently holding peaceful negotiations.
OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, ambassador Yuri Merzylakov - Russian Federation, and ambassador Bernard Fassier - France, met with Elmar Mammadyarov, the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister, in Paris. The sides discussed co-chairs' visit to the region, the Azerbaijani Interior Ministry's press-centre reported. According to the Armenian Foreign Ministry, the co-chairs met with Vardan Oskanan, the Armenian Foreign Minister, in Paris. The sides have discussed issues which can be submitted by the co-chairs during their meeting with both countries Presidents, Ilham Aliyev and Robert Kocharian.
OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, ambassador Yuri Merzylakov - Russian Federation, and ambassador Bernard Fassier - France, and deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matthew Bryza - United States will visit the region after consultations in Paris.