Azernews.Az

By Sara Rajabova

Azerbaijan's strong army and powerful economy will play a decisive role in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within the framework of international legal principles.

The remarks were made by deputy Vice-Speaker Ziyafat Asgarov on May 7.

Asgarov expressed regret that the activity of the OSCE Minsk Group, established to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, had been fruitless over the past few years.

"The ambassadors of the countries included in the OSCE Minsk Group have come to Azerbaijan and issued statements, even noting that the time has come to resolve the conflict. But I am so sorry that the visits of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs to both parties of the conflict have not solved anything," Asgarov said.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict emerged in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Since a lengthy war in the early 1990s that displaced over one million Azerbaijanis, the Armenian armed forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions.

Peace talks, 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. Negotiations have been largely fruitless so far.

Commenting on a draft resolution calling on the U.S. Government to recognize the puppet regime called "Nagorno Karabakh Republic", Asgarov said the document adopted by the California State Assembly's Rules Committee holds no legal force for Azerbaijan.

The resolution was introduced by Assemblyman Mike Gatto at the behest of the Armenian lobby. Gatto submitted the proposal to the California State Legislature on January 6.

"It is absurd. Whatever decision is made on this issue does not matter," Asgarov said.

The Armenian lobby has announced that the resolution will be considered on the Assembly floor on May 8. This date was not chosen randomly, as May 8 marks the 22^nd anniversary of the occupation of Azerbaijan's Shusha city by Armenia.

If passed by both houses of the State Legislature, the resolution would call on the U.S. government to recognize the puppet regime called "NKR", installed on Azerbaijan's occupied lands, Azerbaijani Consulate General in Los-Angeles said.