Baku, Azerbaijan, July 1
Trend:
The UK does not recognise the self-proclaimed "Nagorno-Karabakh Republic" and the UK Government has no contact with any of its representatives, the United Kingdom Embassy in Baku said July 1.
The UK Embassy made the remarks commenting on the possible visit of the head of the separatist regime of Nagorno-Karabakh Bako Sahakyan to the UK.
"Mr. Sahakyan is travelling to the UK independently and the UK Government has no role in his visit," said the embassy, adding that Chatham House (the Royal Institute of International Affairs, an independent policy institute based in London) is an independent institution and makes it own decisions about who to invite to its events.
"The UK Government has no influence over these decisions, nor should it, given our respect for the freedom of action of Non-Governmental Organisations," said the UK Embassy on its official page in Facebook.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently holding peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.