The situation in Azerbaijan's occupied territories was discussed at a round-table in New York at the UN headquarters. The Azerbaijani Permanent Mission to the U.N. organized the discussions. About 50 representatives of U.N. member states and representatives of the organization’s secretariat and structures attended them, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry reported with reference to the country's permanent representation to the U.N. the Azerbaijani Permanent Representative to the U.N. Agshin Mehdiyev informed the participants of the round-table on the issue's history and legal aspects.

Azerbaijan's Legal Adviser Professor Malcolm Shaw made a report on the current legal situation. Representatives of U.N. member states noted the need to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict while respecting the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and international law, and lauded the country's efforts in this respect.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the U.S. - are currently holding the peace negotiations.

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