FM: Azerbaijan to continue efforts to resolve Karabakh conflict through substantive talks

By Rashid Shirinov

Azerbaijan will continue the efforts to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict through substantive negotiations jointly with the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs.

Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov made the remark at a meeting with Stephan Visconti, OSCE Minsk Group newly appointed co-chair from France, in Baku on December 12.

The sides exchanged views on intensification of negotiation process mediated by OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs towards the resolution of Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and changing of current situation.

Earlier, the French co-chair was received by President Ilham Aliyev, who voiced hope that as a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group France will continue playing an active role in the conflict settlement.

The newly appointed French co-chair assumed the office on November 3.  Pierre Andrieu has held the position since June 2014.

Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a fragile ceasefire in 1994. Since the war, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities.

While the OSCE Minsk Group acted as the only mediator in resolution of the conflict, the occupation of the territory of the sovereign State with its internationally recognized boundaries has been left out of due attention of the international community for years.

Armenia ignores four UN Security Council resolutions on immediate withdrawal from the occupied territory of Azerbaijan, thus keeping tension high in the region.