Armenia isolated from regional projects – minister

Armenia’s occupation policy absolutely isolates it from regional projects, an Azerbaijani minister said May 12.

Shahin Mustafayev, Azerbaijani minister of economy and industry made the remarks during the Business 20 Regional Consultation Forum in Baku.

As long as Armenia continues its occupation policy, it will stay away from all regional projects and will be absolutely isolated, according to Mustafayev. “In this case, Armenia’s economic development is ruled out altogether.”

Mustafayev added that together with Turkey and Georgia, as well as other strategic partners, Azerbaijan contributes to stability and economic development of the region.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council’s four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.

Edited by SI

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