Top Azerbaijani, Armenian diplomats meet over Karabakh

By Diyar Guldogan

ANKARA (AA) - Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and his Armenian counterpart Edward Nalbandian on Thursday discussed the disputed Karabakh region in the Polish city of Krakow.

Mammadyarov said in a statement that he also met with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s (OSCE) Minsk group co-chairs and the special representative to the OSCE Andrzej Kasprzyk.

The Minsk group was formed to find a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between the two countries.

"During the meeting, the co-chairs proposed a number of creative ideas about the resolution of conflict," Mammadyarov said.

He said the co-chairs will visit the region in early February to pursue discussions.

"In principle, the meetings were held in a positive way.

"The general approach is that more intensive, substantial and logical negotiations should continue in order to achieve progress in the conflict settlement and to ensure peace and stability in the region," Mammadyarov said.

Azerbaijan and Armenia remain in dispute over the occupied Karabakh region. Karabakh broke away from Azerbaijan in 1991 with Armenian military support, and a peace process has yet to be implemented.

Turkey reiterates that the dispute needs to be resolved within the framework of international law and Azerbaijan's sovereignty and territorial integrity.