Nagorno-Karabakh was and is Azerbaijani territory: FM

"All countries have recognized territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and it has been reflected in numerous documents of the UN and other international organizations," Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Press Secretary Elkhan Polukhov told Trend News on April 15.

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan stated that Armenia's position is invariable in settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict: "Karabakh must not be presented to Azerbaijan under any conditions," Sargsyan said at the meeting with the Armenian community in Iran.

The Armenian president stated Azerbaijan's claims to Karabakh do not have any juridical, legal or moral grounds, Mediamax reported.

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.

"It is unknown which aims Armenia has while making such statements," Polukhov said. "Either it wants to console itself or to convince themselves that the Nagorno-Karabakh will never be a part of Azerbaijan."

The Nagorno-Karabakh was and is a territorial part of Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijani foreign ministry official said.

Polukhov said Azerbaijan treats the negotiation process as an opportunity to peacefully settle the conflict and "we consider expedient to continue the negotiation process."

/Trend News/