Armenian foreign minister says Baku rejects proposals on Karabakh conflict settlement

«I don't think that it is possible to speak about changes in positions [OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs' positions], and Armenia's position is in tune with the co-chairs' approach, and when that of Azerbaijan will be in tune with the international community's approaches, and the co-chairs are entitled by the international community to mediatory efforts for settling the conflict [in Nagorno Karabakh], and then we indeed will get an opportunity to settle this conflict,» Novosti-Armenia quoted Nalbandyan referring to RIA Novosti. 

He said that unfortunately Azerbaijan, remaining stuck to its stance, keeps rejecting the co-chairs' proposals. 

But the conflicting sides have no other option but to negotiate, and Armenia will continue its efforts to solve the problem by peaceful means, the minister added. 

Karabakh conflict broke out in 1988 when Karabakh, mainly populated by Armenians, declared its independence from Azerbaijan. 

On December 10, 1991, a few days after the collapse of the Soviet Union, a referendum took place in Nagorno-Karabakh, and the majority of the population (99.89%) voted for secession from Azerbaijan. 

Afterwards, large-scale military operations began. As a result, Azerbaijan lost control over Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven regions adjacent to it. 

Some 30,000 people were killed in this war and about one million people fled their homes. 

On May 12, 1994, the Bishkek cease-fire agreement put an end to the military operations. 

Since 1992, talks brokered by OSCE Minsk Group are being held over peaceful settlement of the conflict. The group is co-chaired by USA, Russia and France. ---0---