'NATO Chicago statement on Karabakh is support for Azerbaijan'

The NATO statement on Nagorno-Karabakh made at the Chicago Summit has confirmed the support of another international organization for Azerbaijan, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesman Elman Abdullayev said.

"The fact that the statement was signed by major international players indicates strong support for Azerbaijan's just cause in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," Abdullayev said.
He said the 47th paragraph of the statement indicates support for Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and sovereignty.

NATO called on parties of protracted regional conflicts in South Caucasus and the Republic of Moldova to avoid steps that undermine regional security and stability, a declaration of the North Atlantic Alliance, adopted following the Chicago Summit, says.

According to the declaration, the persistence of protracted regional conflicts in South Caucasus and the Republic of Moldova continues to be a matter of great concern for the NATO.

"We remain committed in our support of the territorial integrity, independence, and sovereignty of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and the Republic of Moldova, and will also continue to support efforts towards a peaceful settlement of these regional conflicts, based upon these principles and the norms of international law, the United Nations Charter, and the Helsinki Final Act," the declaration says.

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 and the surrounding regions.


/Trend/