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AZERBAIJANI TERRITORIES OCCUPIED BY ARMENIANS SHOULD BE RETURNED: PACE HEAD
TREND News Agency, Azerbaijan
July 9 2007
Azerbaijan, Baku /corr. Trend A.Gasimova / The Council of Europe
supports its position on the conflicts in South Caucasus region,
including Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The Council of Europe's position
on Nagorno-Karabakh is that Azerbaijani territories occupied by the
Armenians should be returned, said the PACE President, Rene van der
Linden, on 9 July in Baku.
The conflict between the two countries of South Caucasus appeared in
1988 due to the territorial claims of Armenia against Azerbaijan.
Armenia has occupied 20% of the Azerbaijani land including
Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven Districts of the country surrounding
it. Since 1992 to the present time, these territories have been
under the occupation of the Armenian Forces. In 1994, Azerbaijan
and Armenia signed a cease-fire agreement at which time the active
hostilities ended. The Co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia,
France and USA) are presently holding peaceful negotiations.
According to Linden, PACE cannot force the sides to come to an
agreement, they should do it themselves. "The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
must be settled peacefully, but not through war," he said.
According to him, peaceful settlement is primarily important for
Armenia who has closed its borders with two countries, Azerbaijan
and Turkey.
Rene van der Linden has been in Baku since 7 July. After meeting at
the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan on 9 July, he briefed the media
that discussions were held on Azerbaijan's obligations undertaken
before the Council of Europe, as well as foreign-political topic and
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Rene van der Linden's visit to the region
ends on 9 July.
TREND News Agency, Azerbaijan
July 9 2007
Azerbaijan, Baku /corr. Trend A.Gasimova / The Council of Europe
supports its position on the conflicts in South Caucasus region,
including Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The Council of Europe's position
on Nagorno-Karabakh is that Azerbaijani territories occupied by the
Armenians should be returned, said the PACE President, Rene van der
Linden, on 9 July in Baku.
The conflict between the two countries of South Caucasus appeared in
1988 due to the territorial claims of Armenia against Azerbaijan.
Armenia has occupied 20% of the Azerbaijani land including
Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven Districts of the country surrounding
it. Since 1992 to the present time, these territories have been
under the occupation of the Armenian Forces. In 1994, Azerbaijan
and Armenia signed a cease-fire agreement at which time the active
hostilities ended. The Co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia,
France and USA) are presently holding peaceful negotiations.
According to Linden, PACE cannot force the sides to come to an
agreement, they should do it themselves. "The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
must be settled peacefully, but not through war," he said.
According to him, peaceful settlement is primarily important for
Armenia who has closed its borders with two countries, Azerbaijan
and Turkey.
Rene van der Linden has been in Baku since 7 July. After meeting at
the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan on 9 July, he briefed the media
that discussions were held on Azerbaijan's obligations undertaken
before the Council of Europe, as well as foreign-political topic and
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Rene van der Linden's visit to the region
ends on 9 July.