If Armenia is genuinely interested in seeking a political solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, then it must engage constructively in the conflict settlement process, said Elmar Mammadyarov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, in a statement at the 24th Ministerial Council of the OSCE in Vienna Dec. 7, Trend reports.
“The months ahead will demonstrate if Armenia is a serious partner for peace, genuinely interested in engaging constructively in substantive negotiations to reach a breakthrough and resolve the conflict or we will continue down the road of further instability and conflict,” Mammadyarov said. “Azerbaijan retains its right act under the Chapter 7 of the UN Charter.”
“Yesterday, I and Foreign Minister of Armenia had all together with the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs hours of talks on Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution. This reinvigoration of substantive, result-oriented talks is a reason for cautious optimism,” the foreign minister added.
“The summit of the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia, held in Geneva, on October 16, 2017, was the step in right direction. The meeting proved that attempts to precondition the resumption of substantive talks are doomed to failure.”
“Following the Summit meeting, Azerbaijan and Co-Chairs are focusing on substantial issues with a view to finding the ways of bringing positions of Armenia and Azerbaijan closer towards the settlement. However, it remains to be source of serious concern that certain forces in the region are not interested in taking necessary political steps to move beyond the unsustainable and unacceptable status-quo,” he said.
