Azerbaijan, Baku, 12 February / Trend corr E. Huseynli / Armenia's non-constructive position creates serious obstacles for the peaceful settling of the conflict, the Azerbaijani Defence Minister Colonel-General Safar Abiyev said on 12 February when receiving the US Ambassador Anne Derse.
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 active hostilities ended. The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia, France, and the US) are currently holding peaceful negotiations.
Azerbaijan will never agree with the occupation of its territory, Abiyev said.
Abiyev called on the international community to use all means to make the aggressor vacate the occupied land and noted that double standards are still applied.
Derse reiterated that the United States recognize the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.
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