The OSCE Minsk Group positively estimates the Moscow Declaration signed by the leaders of Azerbaijan, Russia and Armenia on the solution of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
“The Moscow Declaration is a positive step in the settlement of the conflict. Several theses of the Declaration have been changed after the Georgian events”, the co-chairs to the OSCE Minsk Group stated in a briefing held after their meeting in Vienna on November 6.
The Presidents of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, Armenia, Serj Sarkisian and Russia, Dmitry Medvedev signed the Declaration as a result of their meeting in Moscow’s “Mayn Dorf” castle on November 2.
Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan decided to normalize situation in Caucasus and charged the heads of the Foreign Ministries to continue work over the settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The Declaration implies the solution to the conflict on the basis of the international law and the adopted documents. And this creates a helpful situation for economic development and all-round co-operation in the region.
According to the co-chairs, the Minsk Group isn’t able to settle the conflict; the conflict parties should define a way out of the problem. “Azerbaijan wants the conflict to be settled within the country’s territorial integrity, but Armenia wants a referendum to be held to define the status of Nagorno-Karabakh. “The Minsk Group functions only in order to create belief between the conflict parties”, the co-chairs emphasized.
The co-chairs stated they will visit the region in mid November.
The conflict between the two countries of South Caucasia started in 1988 over territorial claims raised by Armenia against Azerbaijan. The occupation started in 1988. Until December 1991, Azerbaijan lost control over Nagorno-Karabakh except for Shusha and Khojaly. But in 1992-1993, Shusha, Khojaly and seven surrounding districts of Nagorno-Karabakh were occupied too. In 1994, the parties signed the ceasefire agreement and hold peace talks till today.
The co-chairs to the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the USA, are mediating for peaceful solution of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
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