Pentagon says tense situation in South Caucasus must be eliminated

Azerbaijan, Baku, May 21 / Trend , J. Babayeva/ 

Commander of the U.S. European Command General John Craddock said during a meeting with Azerbaijani Defense Minister Safar Abiyev that there is a need to eliminate tense situation in the South Caucasus.

Azerbaijani Defense Minister and Colonel General Safar Abiyev said the tension will further grow and resolution of the conflict will be impossible without use of force until Armenian troops withdraw from occupied Azerbaijani lands.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the U.S. - are currently holding the peace negotiations.

"Europe and Minsk Group co-chair countries must increase measures of impact on Armenia, occupier country. Otherwise, undesirable process if unavoidable," the minister said.  

American general expressed gratitude on behalf of U.S. administration for Azerbaijan's contribution to peacekeeping operations in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq and also on war on terrorism, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said.

Commander of the U.S. European Command General John Craddock is debating regional security with Azerbaijani leadership in Baku on May 20-21.

A detachment of peacekeepers and later a peacekeeping battalion was established within the National Army of Azerbaijan in 1997. Some 150 servicemen of the Azerbaijan Armed Forces served in the Multinational Force in Iraq and 34 servicemen in Kosovo. Azerbaijani servicemen to exercise control over 18 villages in Kosovo. Azerbaijani peacekeeping detachment in Kosovo acted within peacekeeping contingent of Turkey. Azerbaijan withdrew its peacemakers from Kosovo after declaration of independence in this country.

In October 2008, the Parliament of Azerbaijan adopted a draft law increasing the number of peacemaking contingent in Afghanistan twice. Ninety Azerbaijani servicemen are serving in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. These soldiers carry out patrol service in Kabul.

In early November 2008, Azerbaijan withdrew its military contingent from Iraq due to termination of its mission.