Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov met with the Foreign Minister of Brazil Antonio Patriota within the Munich Conference on Security, the press service of the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan told Trend. The sides paid special attention to the prospects of development of bilateral economic relations, in particular in the energy sector. They also discussed opportunities for cooperation in other areas, such as sports.
Elmar Mammadyarov informed the Brazilian Minister of dynamic development of the economy of Azerbaijan and said that Azerbaijan is interested in development of cooperation with the countries of Latin America.
Mamedyarov, informing the Brazilian counterpart on the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, said that the continued occupation of Azerbaijani lands adversely affect Armenia itself, which is not involved in regional development. The minister said that the withdrawal of Armenian troops from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan will open new opportunities for conflict settlement and development of the region.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven 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 peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.
/Trend/
