Warlick: Meetings of presidents bring sides closer to peaceful solution of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

Meetings between the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia bring us closer to a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, James Warlick, OSCE Minsk Group's US co-chair, told Trend June 23.

"We are hopeful that the situation along the Line of Contact will remain stable. These developments are important and allow us to make progress on a comprehensive settlement", Warlick said.

He said that the Presidents in St. Petersburg stated their respect for the ceasefire as they did at the May 16 meeting in Vienna.

"Presidents committed to measures that will reduce the risk of future violence, and agreed on the need for resuming negotiations on a comprehensive settlement", Warlick said.

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 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

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