Karabakh Conflict Settlement Standing" src="http://www.yerevanreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/nalbandian.jpg" alt="nalbandian" width="262" height="161" />YEREVAN (Novosti-Armenia), February 16—The process laid out in the “Madrid principles” for the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement will continue, the Foreign Minister of Armenia, Edward Nalbandian, announced at a press conference on Tuesday.

“As for the working document, which from time to time is put into discussions by the co-chairs, the proposals that–according to the Sochi agreements–the parties must submit on concrete issues, are in the course of delivery. I believe that the Azerbaijani side will present their proposals and we will continue the negotiations,” the Minister said.

According to him currently on the negotiating table to settle the Karabakh conflict is a document called the Madrid proposals, which were adopted in November 2007 in Madrid.

In November 2007, the Co-Chairs of OSCE Minsk Group in Madrid submitted to the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan the basic principles of the peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict. The Madrid principles in particular provide for the status of the Karabakh issue by means of free expression, as well as the maintenance of the overland communication between Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia, and the provision of security guarantees.

“I would like to mention that for almost a year Azerbaijan refused to accept this document as a basis for negotiations. This was repeatedly stated even by the Azerbaijanis themselves who in general denied the existence of such a document,” the Minister said.

The Karabakh conflict began in 1988, after the Armenian-populated Nagorno-Karabakh’s calls for secession from Azerbaijan. On December 10, 1991 in Nagorno-Karabakh a referendum was held in which 99.89 percent of the people voted for full independence.

Afterward, large-scale military operations, initiated by Azerbaijan, led to the Armenian control of not only Nagorno-Karabakh, but its adjacent seven regions as well.

Since May 12, 1994, a ceasefire agreement has been in force. Between 25,000 to 30,000 people died during the war and about 1 million were forced to leave their homes.

Since 1992, negotiations for a peaceful settlement of the conflict have been mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group, co-chaired by the United States, Russia and France.

Translated from Russian by Yerevan Report