Azerbaijani MFA: Armenia continued attempts to disrupt negotiation process in 2017

Baku. 28 December. REPORT.AZ/ The issue of restoration of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict continues to be the main priority of Azerbaijan's foreign policy. 

Report informs, spokesperson of Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Hikmat Hajiyev said at a press conference summing up the results of 2017.

"Priorities defined by President Ilham Aliyev this year continued the course of Azerbaijan's foreign policy. In this regard, the issue of restoring territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, preserving regional security, as well as issues of cooperation in the Caspian Sea region, protecting the rights of citizens, and a positive image in the international arena took an important place in it”, Hajiyev said.

According to him, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was working to prevent the facts of violation of Azerbaijan's rights abroad, the fight against the information war, including the one that was deployed as a result of the Armenian propaganda.

"Armenia continued making attempts to disrupt the negotiation process through provocations, including holding a so-called "referendum", which was not recognized by anybody. The international community once again unequivocally supported the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan in response to this provocation”, Hajiyev added.

He recalled that against the backdrop of intensified efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs in negotiations regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement, a provocation was committed in Alkhanli village of Fizuli district this summer.

"The public once again witnessed that Armenia does not want a peaceful settlement through diplomatic talks, Azerbaijani MFA spokesperson said.

He also recalled that this year the presidents have met in Geneva, as a result of which the foreign ministers were instructed to continue substantive talks.

"Azerbaijan intends to continue negotiations on the conflict settlement within the framework of norms and principles of international law," Hajiyev added.

Hajiyev noted that this year Azerbaijan did important work within the framework of international organizations, was agreed a draft convention on legal status of the Caspian Sea, were celebrated 25 years of establishing diplomatic relations with other countries, and have been held about 10 meetings of intergovernmental commissions.

Also, according to him, meetings in trilateral formats such as Azerbaijan-Iran-Russia, Azerbaijan-Turkey-Iran, Azerbaijan-Turkey-Georgia and others took an important role in foreign policy of Azerbaijan in 2017.