Wednesday, December 4 2019 11:06

ArmInfo. At a meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council in Bratislava, Azerbaijan presented its position on the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.   APA reports that this is stated in the information of the Azerbaijani  Embassy in Austria, Slovakia and Slovenia.

The information notes that the Republic of Azerbaijan is still  committed to resolving the conflict by political means in the format  of the OSCE Minsk Group in accordance with UN Security Council  resolutions, as well as in relevant OSCE documents and decisions.

The diplomatic mission of Azerbaijan assured that the settlement of  the conflict is possible only on the basis of the norms and  principles of international law enshrined in the Helsinki Final Act,  with full respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of  the Republic of Azerbaijan within its internationally recognized  borders.

"Azerbaijan adheres to a phased approach to resolving the conflict,  which is based on UN Security Council resolutions and OSCE decisions,  in particular on the decision of the Budapest Summit in 1994. The  first step should be to eliminate the main consequences of the  conflict, thereby ensuring the immediate, complete and unconditional  withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from Nagorno-Karabakh, which  will be followed by the return of the forcibly displaced Azerbaijani  population to their homes in these territories in safety, opened all  communications in the region for mutual use and restoration, and  economic development of these territories, "the Azerbaijani Embassy  noted.

The diplomatic mission indicated that the next step in the settlement  process is "determining the status of self-government of the  population of the Nagorno-Karabakh region as part of Azerbaijan in  accordance with the Constitution and the legislation of Azerbaijan."

"Such a status should ensure the peaceful coexistence of the Armenian  and Azerbaijani communities in the region and guarantee the full  enjoyment by all of human rights and fundamental freedoms on an equal  and non-discriminatory basis. Status determination should take place  in a peaceful environment as part of a legal process with the direct,  full and equal participation of the Armenian and Azerbaijani  populations communities, and in their interaction with the government  of Azerbaijan exclusively within the framework of a legal and  democratic process. Azerbaijan does not see a political about  resolving the conflict outside this framework and is involved in the  settlement process based on this understanding.

The political settlement of the conflict will create favorable  conditions for comprehensive economic development and mutually  beneficial cooperation, "the embassy of Azerbaijan stressed.

The Council of Ministers is the central legislative and governing  body of the OSCE. He has the authority to make decisions and direct  the work of all OSCE bodies and institutions. The Council consists of  foreign ministers from 57 participating States and is held annually  in the country, which serves as the OSCE Chairperson. This year, the  organization is chaired by Slovakia.