Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev expressed willingness to meet with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, within the framework of the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process.
Ambassador James Warlick, US Co-Chair of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group, noted the above-said at a press conference in the Azerbaijani capital city of Baku, according to RIA Novosti news agency of Russia.
Warlick stated that he personally spoke with Aliyev, who informed that he is keen on this peace process. As per the OSCE Minsk Group US co-chair, the Azerbaijani president expressed readiness to meet and discuss the proposals.
The US diplomat added that they also will confer on setting up the next meeting between the two presidents.
Warlick informed that the co-chairs will meet with the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan, to follow up on the commitments made in Vienna and Saint Petersburg. He added that there are still issues and elements that need to be discussed.
James Warlick expressed the hope that the presidents will meet at the earliest opportunity.
Recall, that on the night of April 2nd, the border positions of Azerbaijan were shelled from the large-caliber weapons, mortars, rocket-propelled grenades and artillery units of the Armenian Armed Forces. In addition, a number of shots were fired at the settlements near the frontline, densely populated by civilians.
Three weeks after a conclusion of the new truce between the parties of the conflict, the Armenian Armed Forces again shelled the peaceful Azerbaijani villages and the town of Terter. As a result of the attack, two villagers were killed in the village of Chemenli in the Agdam region: Famil Mustafayev and Ali Huseynov. Their neighbors, Anar Abdullayev, Zahid Rahimov, Sirdash Kerimov and Ail Mammadov, and a resident of Efendili, Elnur Mammadov, resident of Garadagli, Elgiz Garayev, and resident of Zangyushaly, Magomedali Imanov, were wounded.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988, due to the territorial claims of Armenia to Azerbaijan. Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding districts, 20% of Azerbaijan's territory, are under occupation of the Armenian armed forces.
In May 1994, the parties reached a cease-fire. The negotiations are still ongoing under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group and co-chairs -Russia, France and the US.
The UN Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions have not yet been carried out by Armenia.
