Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov has received Robert Valter, the PACE Political Affairs Committee’s rapporteur on the Nagorno-Karabakh.

The minister spoke to the guest of the ongoing negotiations over the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, noting that the presence of Armenian troops in occupied Azerbaijani territories is the main obstacle to the settlement of the conflict, the foreign ministry told APA on Sept.15.

Mammadyarov mentioned that the fact of occupation of Azerbaijani territory is recognized by the international community including the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs. The minister added that Resolutions No.822 (1993), 853 (1993), 874 (1993), 884 (1994) of the UN Security Council reprobate the use of military force against Azerbaijan and the occupation of its territories, confirming the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan as well as the inviolability of its borders.

The minister said the fact that Nagorno-Karabakh is part of Azerbaijan is upheld in the UN Security Council’s resolutions, stressing that the occupying forces must pull out immediately, completely, and unconditionally from all the occupied Azerbaijani territories.

The withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from the occupied territories would serve the return of refugees and internally displaced persons, restoration of communications, establishment of confidence, restoration of peace and security in the region and only Armenian stands against it, the minister emphasized. Noting that the updated Madrid principles cover these points, Mammadyarov said the international community accepts the phased settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict as a possible way of solution.

Mammadyarov said the judgment dated 16 June 2015 of the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights on the case "Chiragov and others v. Armenia" was an another impressive respond to Armenia’s regularly denying its illegal occupation of Azerbaijani lands and military presence in these territories.

By changing the demographic composition of the occupied territories of Azerbaijan and settling Armenian refugees from Syria in these territories, Armenia flagrantly violates its commitments to the Geneva Conventions, Mammadyarov said, noting that this issue will be raised before the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs and international organizations in a sustainable manner.

Mammadyarov said consultations and informative meetings held by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs in Vienna with the participation of other MG members are a positive factor.

He added that all members of the OSCE Minsk Group, as well as corresponding international organizations should contribute to the settlement of the conflict based on the norms and principles of international law and the UN Charter.

During the meeting, other aspects of the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict were discussed as well.

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