Azerbaijan Considers Karabakh Armenians "Its Citizens"

PanARMENIAN.Net - "Azerbaijan considers the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh to be its citizens and the government of the republic is interested in the further development of this region, which is an inseparable part of the state," Azeri Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said at a meeting with Italy's Permanent Representative in the OSCE Francesco Bascone. The Azeri FM underscored that the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict is possible 'only within the frames of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity with granting the highest status of self-government to the Armenian population.' Mammadyarov noted the importance 'peaceful co-existence of the Armenian and Azeri communities of Nagorno Karabakh.' For his part Mr Bascone said the conflicting sides should reach agreement on the basic settlement principles and stressed the importance of essential measures during the post-conflict period for creation of mutual trust between the sides, reports Day.az