Azerbaijani Vice-Speaker: OSCE MG co-chairs’ visit to region may give impetus to negotiation process

The next visit of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs to the region may give impetus to the resolution of Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Azerbaijani Parliament’s Vice-Speaker Bahar Muradova believes.
“The co-chairs’ visit to the region can be regarded as another stage in the negotiations. However, I believe that this visit may give some impetus to further negotiation process between the parties,” Muradova said.
Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group Robert Bradtke of the United States, Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, and Jacques Faure of France are expected to visit the region next week.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France and the U.S. – are currently holding peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.