Azernews.Az

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov highly assessed and recognized very important the recent statement by the presidents of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair-countries in Toronto.
"Occupation is occupation, and all recognize this. My optimism about the Nagorno-Garabagh conflict settlement will intensify if we know what the Armenians want. If they want annexation of Garabagh, it is impossible. If they continue to insist on the independence of this region, this is also impossible," said Mammadyarov on Tuesday at a meeting with members of the Bundestag during his working visit to Germany.
Mammadyarov said he is confident that Russian President Dmitry Medvedev will strive to resolve the conflict. "He (Medvedev), as a lawyer and an "honest broker", understands that there is a fact of occupation, and that the Armenian armed forces should be withdrawn from the occupied territories," the minister said.
Mutual trust between the three OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries is very important in resolving the conflict, Mammadyarov said. "If we want to achieve peace in the region, this peace must be based on international law."
Speaking about the process of the conflict settlement, Mammadyarov said Azerbaijan accepted updated version of the Madrid principles. "Basically, we have agreed upon them," the minister said.
"Their main provisions are: to, at the first stage, release 5 of the 7 occupied regions around Nagorno Garabagh, provided that the remaining 2 districts will be released after 5 years; to unblock communications in the region (here the agenda also includes opening of Turkish-Armenian border); carrying out restoration work, the return of refugees to their homes, deployment of peacekeeping forces to ensure the security of the population; an interim status for Nagorno Garabagh with a self-government; and only in the end, restoring confidence between the parties, it will be possible in a calm atmosphere to discuss the final status of Nagorno Garabagh, the minister said.