Azernews.Az

By Sara Rajabova

The challenge for the region is the lack of proper regulation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Georgian Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze believes.

"The existence of uncontrolled "black holes" in the occupied territories threatens not only Georgia, but the whole South Caucasus and neighboring regions, including the European Union," Panjikidze said during an ambassadorial meeting on September 2.

For over two decades, Azerbaijan and Armenia have been locked in conflict which emerged over Armenian territorial claims. A precarious ceasefire was reached after a lengthy war that displaced over a million Azerbaijanis and has been in place between the two South Caucasus countries since 1994. Since the hostilities, Armenian armed forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The UN Security Council has adopted four resolutions on Armenian withdrawal from the Azerbaijani territory, but they have not been enforced to this day.

Peace talks aimed at resolving the long-standing conflict, mediated by Russia, France and the U.S. through the OSCE Minsk Group, are underway on the basis of a peace outline proposed by the Minsk Group co-chairs and dubbed the Madrid Principles. The negotiations have been largely fruitless so far.

Recall that Georgia is another South Caucasus country suffering a lingering conflict in its territory.

Large scale military action was launched in Georgia's rebel region of South Ossetia on August 8, 2008. Later, Russian troops occupied Tskhinvali and expelled the Georgian military.

Russia recognized the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia in late August. In response, Tbilisi ended diplomatic relations with Moscow and has called the two unrecognized republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia occupied territories.