Azernews.Az

Armenia speculates with the principle of self-determination of nations, ignoring the rights of the Azerbaijanis of Nagorno Karabakh, who want to live within Azerbaijan, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov has said.

``The self-determination principle does not mean seizing the territory of another country, notably, Azerbaijan,`` Mammadyarov told a press conference with his Portuguese counterpart in Baku last week.

Azerbaijan and Armenia waged a brutal war over Nagorno Karabakh that left over 30,000 people dead on both sides and displaced about a million Azerbaijanis. Since the 1994 cease-fire, 20 percent of Azerbaijan`s territory has been under Armenian occupation. OSCE-brokered peace talks have been largely fruitless so far.

Ethnic Armenians in Azerbaijan`s Nagorno Karabakh region, backed by Armenia, declared so-called independence at the time of the Soviet collapse in 1991, but it has not been recognized by the world community.

``Azerbaijan signed the Helsinki Final Act on security and cooperation in Europe,`` the minister said. ``It adheres to the three basic principles of this document in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement: non-use of force, preserving territorial integrity and self-determination of nations.``

``But the self-determination principle does not mean the occupation of Azerbaijani lands,`` Mammadyarov said.

He noted that no new proposals were presented to the parties during the Paris meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers on June 18.

``We will continue the negotiation process, but would like to start working on a final version of the comprehensive peace accord,`` Mammadyarov said.

Mammadyarov added that the mediating OSCE Minsk Group`s co-chairs will arrive in the region in mid-July to continue negotiations with the parties to the long-standing conflict.

Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Portas said that territorial integrity must be the main principle while resolving the conflict.

``I believe in a diplomatic way of resolving the conflict,`` Portas said.

He stressed that Portugal has extensive experience in conflict resolution within the European Union and as a NATO member state, and could aid a settlement to the Karabakh conflict.