Azerbaijani president sees no need for OSCE Minsk Group

BAKU. June 16 (Interfax) - There is no need for further activity of the OSCE Minsk Group, as the normalization of relations between Baku and Yerevan is the current objective, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said.

"There is no need for the Minsk Group now that Azerbaijan has settled the Karabakh conflict," Aliyev said at the 10th Global Baku Forum on Thursday.

"We have received messages saying that the Minsk Group institution will cease its operations," he said.

"Allow me to reiterate that any sorts of speculations on the Minsk Group either in Armenia or in other countries do nothing but irritate Azerbaijan. We have settled the conflict. We have done that on the basis of the Minsk Principles elaborated by the Minsk Group. Now we should think about ways to normalize relations with Armenia and sign a peace agreement," Aliyev said.

Baku is glad that the Armenian government has accepted the five basic principles proposed by Azerbaijan to normalize bilateral relations, Aliyev said. "Now practical steps should be taken in this area," he added.

Armenia should comply with every provision of the trilateral statement of November 10, 2020, including the reopening of regional communications, Aliyev said.