AGREEMENT ON BASE PRINCIPLES OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT MAY BE SIGNED THIS YEAR: AMERICAN POLITICIAN
Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
June 6 2007
Azerbaijan, Baku / corr. Trend S.Aliyev / The American Co-chairman of
the OSCE Minsk Group, Matthew Bryza, stated on the 6th of June in Baku,
that he has optimistic outcomes from the meeting held in Azerbaijan.
According to him, Azerbaijan and Armenia take constructive steps to
regulate the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. "The sides held very serious
talks over the recent period. If they wish to resolve the remaining
issues, this year it will be possible to sign an agreement on the
base principles," he said.
Bryza once again stated that the conflicting sides are very
near to the conflict settlement. Commenting on the meeting of the
Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia scheduled for the 10th of June
in Saint-Petersburg, the American politician said that the conference
needs to discuss several complicated issues and carry out certain
works.
The conflict between the two countries of South Caucasus appeared in
1988 due to the territorial claims of Armenia against Azerbaijan.
Armenia has occupied 20% of Azerbaijani land including the
Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven districts of the countries
surrounding it. Since 1992 to present time, these territories have
been under the occupation of the Armenian Forces. In 1994, Azerbaijan
and Armenia signed a cease-fire agreement at which time the active
hostilities ended. The Co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia,
France and the USA) held peaceful negotiations.