`Peace talks – only way to solve Karabakh conflict`

"The principles, worked out by the OSCE Minsk Group, must be observed."

The Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict can not be resolved without the active involvement of the authoritative international organizations in the conflict settlement process, Edgars Rinkevics, Latvian foreign minister, who is on a visit to Azerbaijan, said in an exclusive interview with Trend.

"Latvia confirms its permanent position, namely, the country’s territorial integrity is the number one principle,” Rinkevics added. “We will always support the territorial integrity of all countries of the Eastern Partnership. We think that the peaceful negotiations are the only way to resolve the conflict."

He said that Latvia is constantly discussing the issue with Baku and Yerevan.

"The principles, worked out by the OSCE Minsk Group, must be observed,” Rinkevics said. “We are concerned about the violation of the ceasefire regime on the contact line of Azerbaijani and Armenian troops. The work must be intensified in this direction through diplomatic channels."

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

News.Az

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