Azerbaijan, Baku, March 15 / Trend A.Huseynbala /
Azerbaijani Presidential Administration's International Relations Department Head Novruz Mammadov believes elements of the Madrid principles should remain unchanged.
"Proposals in the Madrid principles are the same. However, the term 'update' makes them look different. I want to note that the elements of the Madrid principles should remain unchanged. Regarding the 'update', the matter is to change the minor elements of the principles over which we hold talks. Something new on this subject can be said after clearness of Armenia's position. So we should wait a little longer," Mammadov told the official website of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party today.
The parties were provided with updated Madrid principles at the OSCE summit held in Athens.
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.
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.
Mammadov said that not Azerbaijan submitted the Madrid principles.
"These principles are not a position that formed and submitted by Azerbaijan. The West formed these proposals, that is, they prepared by the OSCE Co-Chairs. At first, Azerbaijan is not satisfied with the Madrid principles. Therefore, we supplemented these principles with certain proposals. In principle we have them accepted after eighteen months of discussions. If you recall the situation that occurred several years earlier, you will see that Armenia supported the Madrid principles. But there was a very strange situation. After adoption of these principles by Azerbaijan as a result of long discussions, Armenia has changed its position," he added.
Speaking about the current situation in the negotiating process, the official said that the chairmen made their efforts in this.
"They must meet with the Armenian Foreign Minister. After the meeting, the Co-Chairs may, will pay a visit to the region. They will pay a visit to report to the presidents on the progress made during the period since the Sochi meeting and the situation that followed it," he said
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