No country recognizes Nagorno-Karabakh as independent state: Zakharova
By Rashid Shirinov
Recent reports on the intention to rename the status of Nagorno-Karabakh will not affect Russia’s position on the settlement to the conflict, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told APA on November 9.
She made a comment in response to next provocation by the Armenian separatists in Nagorno-Karabakh on their intention to rename the so-called ‘Nagorno-Karabakh Republic’, Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory under Armenia's occupation.
Russia and other OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries, as well as Armenia itself, do not recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as an independent state, Zakharova stressed. “The status of Nagorno-Karabakh must be determined during negotiations.”
The spokeswoman also touched on whether the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict issue will be discussed at the OSCE Ministerial Council in Hamburg on December 8-9.
“The Nagorno-Karabakh settlement will be discussed at the Vienna meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council on November 10, and also at a meeting of the OSCE Minsk Group. We believe that this work will continue at the Hamburg meeting of OSCE foreign ministers,” the spokeswoman said.
The Azerbaijani side has already given its consent for the meeting with Armenian Foreign Minister in the framework of the OSCE Ministerial Council in December.
Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a fragile ceasefire in 1994. Since the war, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities.
While the OSCE Minsk Group acted as the only mediator in resolution of the conflict, the occupation of the territory of the sovereign State with its internationally recognized boundaries has been left out of due attention of the international community for years.
Armenia ignores four UN Security Council resolutions on immediate withdrawal from the occupied territory of Azerbaijan, thus keeping tension high in the region.
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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov
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