Armenian and Azerbaijani special services have launched an informal coordination of technical parameters and procedures of liberating five regions surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh which, according to settlement formula, must be returned to Azerbaijan, Regnum news agency reported quoting diplomatic sources as saying.
A source said “the very question of return of the five regions to the control of Azerbaijani authorities is not questioned and fate of the remaining two regions around Karabakh — Lachin and Kalbajar” is subject of controversy. Armenian side would like to exclude return of these two regions and, in any case, to leave Lachin corridor under its control.“
The key matter of dispute is status of Nagorno-Karabakh for which Baku offers “the largest autonomy” within Azerbaijan while Yerevan insists on its independence.
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Elkhan Polukhov commented on the afore-said reports.
“Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry does not comment on all sorts of speculation and unconfirmed facts. Our position remains unchanged. Azerbaijan is ready to open its borders with Armenia only after Armenia liberates occupied territories of Azerbaijan,” Polukhov said.
“The key terms of Azerbaijan is withdrawal of Armenia's occupying forces from the five occupied regions of Azerbaijan as a first step and fixing specific dates for the return of the remaining two — Kalbajar and Lachin,“he added.
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