Baku, Azerbaijan, July 9

Trend:

OSCE Parliamentary Assembly adopted Minsk declaration and resolutions at the twenty-sixth annual session.

According to the declaration, OSCE PA expresses its deep regret over the lack of progress towards the settlement of the NagornoKarabakh conflict and calls on the parties to engage without further delay in substantive negotiations with a view to finding the earliest possible sustainable solution to the conflict.

OSCE PA also urges the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group to redouble their efforts to that end.

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 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.