Too early to speak about Nagorno-Karabakh referendum: OSCE Minsk Group Russian co-chair

The OSCE Minsk Group recently made statements proposing resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict via a referendum. French Co-Chair Bernard Fassier said the territories controlled by Armenian armed forces must be liberated to resolve the conflict at an international forum in Vienna in March. A referendum must also be held on the status of Nagorno-Karabakh within 10-15 years, he added.

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.

The idea of conducting a referendum was proposed to the conflicting sides, Merzylakov said.

"A referendum will show the will of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh," he added.

The entire Nagorno-Karabakh population will vote, including those who lived there before the conflict.

The issue of how to arrange for Nagorno-Karabakh's Azerbaijani population to vote has not been discussed.

"We are working on this issue," the Russian diplomat said.

Foreign Relations Department head at the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration Novruz Mammadov said the occupied regions around Nagorno-Karabakh must be liberated to resolve the conflict.

"Nagorno-Karabakh must be resolved by protecting Azerbaijan's territorial integrity," he told Trend News earlier.

/Trend News/