Edward Nalbandyan: Armenia to continue efforts to settle Karabakh issue in peaceful way

YEREVAN, MAY 22, ARMENPRESS: In the framework of the official visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia Edward Nalbandyan to the United Kingdom, the Minister performed a speech on the Armenia’s foreign policy at the Oxford University on May 21, attended by the lecturers of the authoritative institution of higher education, students, experts and analysts. As Armenpress was reported by the Department for Press, Information and Public Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, in his speech Edward Nalbandyan presented the Armenian-British relations, the objectives and results of his visit to the United Kingdom, the priorities of the Armenia’s chairmanship in the European Council, the integration processes in the post-Soviet territory, the Armenia-European Union cooperation, as well as the Armenia’s approaches towards the international and regional issues.

Concerning the Karabakh issue, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia stated in particular: “In September 1991 a declaration of independence was adopted in the Nagorno Karabakh. In response, the official Baku implemented massacres against the Armenians, ethnic cleansing, as well as began a large-scale war against the Republic of Armenia and the Nagorno Karabakh.

Before the ceasefire establishment in 1993 the UN Security Council adopted four resolutions (822, 853, 874, 884), the main demand of which was to cease the military operations and establish lasting ceasefire. After the adoption of every resolution Azerbaijan refused to implement the main demand and continued its military actions.

In May 1994 by the mediation of the Russian Federation, an agreement of ceasefire regime between the Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan was signed. Armenia as well joined the agreement.

Since 1997 the negotiations process has been conducted in the framework of the mediation mission of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs of Russia, USA and France.

Statements on the issue of the Nagorno Karabakh were adopted in the framework of the conferences and summits held in 2008 in Helsinki, in 2009 in Athens, in 2010 in Almaty, in 2011 in Vilnius, in 2012 in Dublin and in 2010 in Astana.

Armenia welcomed all these statements and expressed its readiness to achieve the settlement of the Karabakh issue. In contrast to Armenia, Azerbaijan has never accepted the basic principles and elements of the conflict settlement as a whole. Baku refused all the versions of the settlement principles offered by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs.

Azerbaijan not only refuses to adopt the abovementioned confidence-building measures, but also regularly carries out provocations in the contact line with the Nagorno Karabakh and the Republic of Armenia, thus exasperating the situation and bringing new human losses.

Notwithstanding the provocative and anti-construction policy conducted by Azerbaijan, Armenia along with the international community will continue to make efforts to achieve the settlement of the Karabakh conflict issue exclusively by peaceful way”.