Meeting of Azerbaijani, Armenian presidents still in talks

A decision about meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents has not been made yet, Novruz Mammadov, deputy head of Azerbaijani presidential administration, chief of the administration’s foreign relations department told reporters Nov.20.

“President Ilham Aliyev’s position is that Baku does not avoid the meetings, aid is ready for them,” he said.

Mammadov said that however, it is necessary to be confident that the conditions will be created for any actions to advance the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

"The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen are trying to organize such a meeting in 2015,” he said. “If such a meeting is to take place, we will try to provide information on that a few days in advance. Today, I can’t comment on anything.”

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.

Trend