Azernews.Az

YEREVAN – Progress in settling the Armenia-Azerbaijan dispute over Nagorno Karabakh was ruled out at a recent ministerial held in Moscow, Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Savarsh Kocharian has told Russia’s Regnum news agency.

Asked to elaborate on the outcomes of the ministerial, which has not been detailed so far, Kocharian said: "Information about it could be provided only by the meeting participants, and I can only comment to that end. In my opinion, even prior to the January 24 meeting of the Azerbaijani, Armenian and Russian foreign ministers, it was possible to conclude that there would be no progress in the negotiations, because the Azerbaijani foreign minister reiterated before the meeting that Karabakh must be part of Azerbaijan."

Kocharian claimed that in this case, a question emerges among the public: "then why are we still holding talks and what’s the point?"

"Certainly, there is a point in negotiating, in mediators’ efforts," Kocharian said. "The talks, as well as the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs’ work are aimed at achieving two important goals. First, it is observing the ceasefire. Second, facilitating a rapprochement in the sides’ positions to reach an acceptable solution."

Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a precarious cease-fire in 1994. Armenian armed forces have since occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno Karabakh, defying international calls and UN resolutions. The separatist regime in Nagorno Karabakh declared so-called independence in 1991, which has not been recognized by the world community. Years of peace talks, brokered by the United States, Russia and France through the OSCE Minsk Group, have been largely fruitless so far.