Azerbaijan, Baku, Feb.16 / Trend , U. Sadikhova /
Beirut respects the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and supports the country in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, Lebanese Foreign Minister Ali Hussein al-Shami said.
"Lebanon supports Azerbaijan's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders on the basis of international law and in accordance with U.N. resolutions," al-Shami said in an interview to Trend .
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 seven surrounding districts.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a cease-fire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the United States - are currently holding peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh region and the occupied territories.
Ali Hussein al-Shami has headed Lebanon's Foreign Ministry since November 2009 after the formation of a coalition government led by Saad al-Hariri.
According to him, although Lebanon had abstained from voting on the 63th meeting of the U.N. General Assembly, Beirut is committed to friendly relations with Azerbaijan, and continues constant consultations and cooperation with Baku in various fields.
"Lebanon officially recognized the Republic of Azerbaijan after the declaration of its independence in 1991 and established diplomatic relations in 1992. Besides, several agreements on economic, trade, customs cooperation, as well as an agreement on air transport have been signed between the countries," Ali Hussein al-Shami said.
Addressing the Lebanese prime minister's upcoming visit to Azerbaijan, the minister said that the exact date of arrival has not yet been determined. He said this visit aims to promote and strengthen bilateral cooperation in various spheres.
"The agenda includes visits with economic and social objectives, mentioned in Lebanon's foreign policy plan," al-Shami said.