Azerbaijani FM praises progress in peace talks with Armenia

BAKU. May 14 (Interfax) - Azerbaijan views the ongoing peace process with Armenia positively, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said.

"Direct negotiations between the parties are bringing about a positive result, which is evident from steps undertaken over the past six months. The start of the border delimitation and demarcation process between the two countries and the return of four villages to Azerbaijan can also be listed among positive developments," Bayramov said at a joint press conference with Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Chair-in-Office and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs and Trade Ian Borg of Malta in Baku on Tuesday.

"As for a peace treaty, the countries resumed intensive negotiations at the end of last year and at the beginning of this one. At the same time, our expectations regarding the signing of a peace treaty should be realistic," Bayramov said.

He described his talks with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in Almaty on May 10-11 as "a great step [forward] in this process."

Bayramov said his talks with Borg dealt with the post-conflict situation in the South Caucasus and peace talks between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

He insisted, however, that the OSCE's activity towards settling the Azerbaijani-Armenian conflict has not brought about any results over the past 30 years.

Borg said the parties should follow principles of diplomacy and negotiations to settle the outstanding issues. The OSCE welcomes all pragmatic decisions aimed at promoting the peace process, he said.