Nagorno-Karabakh's final status will be determined in the context of a comprehensive settlement, which would include the return of the occupied territories to Azerbaijan's control, the OSCE Minsk Group's US co-chair James Warlick said.
"No country recognizes Nagorno-Karabakh. We continue to urge the sides to come to the negotiating table in good faith in order to reach a lasting settlement," Trend cited him as saying.
Recall, on the night of April 2 all frontier positions of Azerbaijan were exposed to heavy fire from large-caliber weapons, mortars, grenade launchers and guns. In addition, Azerbaijani settlements near the front line, densely populated by civilians, were shelled.
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% of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US, are currently holding peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council's four resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.