The Russian co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, Igor Popov, said that there is no new document on the negotiating table to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
"There is no new document on the negotiating table to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, there are the proposals of the co-chairs that have been discussed by the sides," RIA Novosti cited him as saying.
The diplomat added that "there are several versions, which, however, are based on the presented three basic principles and six elements." The three principles of the settlement of the conflict are the non-use of force, the right of peoples to self-determination and territorial integrity. When speaking of the six elements, he said that "the two main ones are the return of the territories and Nagorno-Karabakh's status decision or, on the contrary, the solution of Nagorno-Karabakh's status and the return of the territories. This is a single unit." "The settlement also requires the return of refugees and the definition of the width of the corridor status linking Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh," Popov added.
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.
