U.S. Hopes Azerbaijani And Armenian Presidents To Meet Soon

Baku, Azerbaijan, April 23



By Emin Aliyev - Trend:



The U.S hopes that the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents will meet in the near future, U.S. ambassador to Azerbaijan Richard Morningstar told journalists on April 23.



"This meeting can be both formal and informal," the ambassador said on the eve of the Caspian International Energy Forum to be held in Baku on April 23.



"As a co-chairing country of the OSCE Minsk Group, we are active in the ongoing negotiations, the diplomat said.



"I believe that the regular meetings of the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents are very important to discuss concrete actions to resolve the conflict," Morningstar added.



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 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.



Translated by NH



Edited by S.I.