Azerbaijani president is grateful to leaders of Russia, U.S., France for efforts to settle Karabakh conflict
BAKU. Jan 1 (Interfax) - Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has expressed regret that the Nagorno Karabakh conflict was not settled in 2014 and voiced hope that talks will be crowned with success.
"We still hope that the negotiating process can produce positive results and there are sufficiently many factors strengthening these hopes. Besides, we have political might, economic potential and a powerful army," he stressed in a message to the nation on the occasion of New Year and the day of solidarity of Azeris of the world.
Aliyev recalled that the leaders of Russia, the United States and France held trilateral meetings in August, September and October. "I greatly appreciate that and am grateful to these countries. However, Armenia behaved insincerely at the meetings," he said.
"We must note that this year mediators demonstrated activeness," he said in the address.
Aliyev stressed that the Nagorno Karabakh conflict can be settled only on the basis of the norms and principles of international law given the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions. "Occupation forces must be withdrawn from occupied Azerbaijani lands and the territorial integrity of our country must be restored. These are the key principles. We are ready to sign any agreement on the basis of these principles," he said.