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Deputy FM calls for peaceful settlement of Karabakh conflict

12 February 2016 12:13 (UTC+04:00)
Deputy FM calls for peaceful settlement of Karabakh conflict

Baku has once again voiced the need to revitalize the Minsk Group for the peaceful settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov, in his address to the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna, spoke about current security challenges in the South Caucasus and stressed the need to revitalize the OSCE MG that acts as a mediator among the sides to the conflict, OSCE reported.

Azimov highlighted Azerbaijan’s adherence to the Minsk process and called for a meeting of all members of the Minsk Group to be convened to ensure full use of this format in resolving the conflict.

“Delay in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the remaining status-quo has a negative impact on regional security and the implementation of regional projects,” he said.

Armenia occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions, after laying territorial claims against its South Caucasus neighbor that caused a brutal war in the early 1990s. Long-standing efforts by U.S, Russian and French mediators have been largely fruitless so far.

As a result of the military aggression of Armenia, over 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed, more than 4,000 are reported missing and almost 100,000 were injured, and 50,000 were disabled.The UN Security Council has passed four resolutions on Armenian withdrawal from the Azerbaijani territory, but they have not been enforced to this day.

The official further stressed Azerbaijan’s continued commitment to international norms and to fighting transnational threats such as terrorism, trafficking of drugs and radicalization.

Economic reforms and creation of favorable conditions for investment are among the priorities of Azerbaijan, said Azimov.

Speaking about Azerbaijan’s achievements in fighting corruption by developing e-government services, he expressed readiness to share this experience with other OSCE participating states.

He expressed Azerbaijan’s support for the efforts of Germany's 2016 OSCE Chairmanship to promote sustainable connectivity and to create the impetus for better economic exchanges in the OSCE area.

Azerbaijan will host the 7th Global Forum of the UN Alliance of Civilizations in Baku in April, which, according to Azimov, will be another contribution by the country to the development of inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue.

“Promotion of multiculturalism is today our state policy, which creates the necessary conditions for representatives of different nations and ethnicities to co-exist peacefully.” he added.

The OSCE Permanent Council is one of the main regular decision-making bodies of the Organization bringing together representatives of all 57 OSCE participating states. It convenes weekly in Vienna to discuss developments in the OSCE area and to make decisions.

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