Baku sees dialogue between communities as key to Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

/By Azernews/

By Nazrin Gadimova

Establishing contacts and dialogue between the Azerbaijani and Armenian communities of Nagorno-Karabakh region is an important key in the conflict settlement.

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister, Elmar Mammadyarov made the remark as part of meeting with visiting Herbert Salber, EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus.

Armenian armed forces must be withdrawn from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan for the resolution of the conflict and changing the current status-quo, which is unsustainable and unacceptable for Azerbaijan, Mammadyarov believes.

The Nagorno Karabakh conflict evolved in 1988 as a result of Armenian aggressive policy towards neighboring Azerbaijan. As a result of a bloody war, Armenia occupied 20 percent of the Azerbaijani territories.

The Azerbaijani officials have repeatedly expressed concern over the delayed conflict resolution process, with some of them proposing to make substantial changes in the format of the mediating Minsk Group.

However, despite the concerns and efforts of foreign governments and international organizations Armenia does not give up its non-constructive position. Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four binding resolutions on its pullout from Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.

EU can contribute to settle conflict

Herbert Salber believes that the European Union can contribute to the settlement of long lasting conflict. A new agreement on bilateral partnership will cover all aspects of EU-Azerbaijan cooperation, including the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, EU special representative for the South Caucasus said in his interview to the local media.

At the same time, Salber stressed that settlement of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan can be achieved only with the participation of both parties in this process.

“The international community can make proposals to resolve the conflict, but the parties to the conflict should make the choice by themselves. Negotiations to resolve the conflict have been continuing for more than 20 years, many ways have been proposed to resolve it, and the matter depends on the choice of the parties,” he said.

Good opportunities for further expansion of cooperation between Azerbaijan and the EU opened after Federica Mogherini, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy visited Azerbaijan, according to Salber.

Mogherini, who visited Azerbaijan on February 29, believes that a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, in accordance with the international law, remains a top EU priority.

The EU, which is not directly involved in the conflict resolution, has repeatedly stated that the status quo is unacceptable and supports diplomatic settlement of the conflict within the framework of the Minsk Group. The peace talks have been largely fruitless so far despite the efforts of the MG co-chairing countries over 20 years.