Baku, December 5 AZERTAC

Azerbaijan`s Minister of Foreign Affairs Elmar Mammadyarov met with Ignacio Ybanez, Spanish Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on the sidelines of the 22nd meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council in Belgrade on December 3, 2015.

They discussed development prospects of bilateral relations between Spain and Azerbaijan.

Minister Elmar Mammadyarov informed Ignacio Ybanez about the negotiations over the settlement of Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict.

Minister also noted that Azerbaijan is going to host the next 7th Global Forum of the United Nations Alliances of Civilizations which was first initiated by Spain and invited his Spanish interlocutor to take part at this event.

Ignacio Ybanez stressed the importance of reciprocal high-level visits and emphasized the necessity to promote such visits by both Ministries.

The sides agreed on the development of legal-treaty base between the two countries.

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Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov met with Herbert Salber, European Union Special Representative for the South Caucasus on

During the meeting the sides exchanged views on the process of negotiations over the resolution of Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict with the mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs.

Minister Elmar Mammadyarov stressed the importance of expressing the EU’s firm and unequivocal position in regards with the conflict based on the principles of international law and the Charter of the United Nations.

He went on to add that the incidents and violations of cease-fire in the line of contact between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces and through the borders of two countries occur due to the illegal presence of Armenian troops in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.

The Minister mentioned that putting an end to the agression of Armenia against Azerbaijan and withdrawal of Armenian troops from the occupied territories would be an important confidence-building measure, and he emphasized the importance of establishing contacts and dialogue between the Azerbaijani and Armenian communities of Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan.

The sides also exchanged views on the prospects of EU-Azerbaijan relations.