Azerbaijani official: Recent meetings of parties to Nagorno Karabakh conflict encourages for settlement

The Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents' recent meetings in various formats, including a meeting in Astrakhan with participation of the Russian leader, raises expectations for the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh  conflict, Azerbaijani Presidential Administration's Social and Political Department Head Ali Hasanov  has told journalists today.

Astrakhan hosted a trilateral meeting of the presidents of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia - Ilham Aliyev, Dmitry Medvedev and Serzh Sargsyan - on Oct. 27. The parties signed a declaration that envisaged the return of POWs and promoted the mediation of humanitarian issues by the International Committee of the Red Cross and the OSCE Minsk Group.

"However, Azerbaijan will refuse to participate in them and President Ilham Aliyev has repeatedly stated about this, if the meeting did not bring effective results," Hasanov added.

"We hope that the work on the rapprochement of the parties' positions will continue in the future," he said. "Armenians will come finally to a constructive position and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will be resolved on the basis of international law and mutual compromises."


/Trend/