Georgian President says that Nagorno-Karabakh conflict must be solved for development of the region

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the pain of the Caucasus, said the Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili, speaking at the Georgian-Armenian business forum.

President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan also participated in the forum.

“The most painful issue for us is the conflict that exists between Armenia and Azerbaijan. It is a pain of Georgia as it is the pain of Caucasus,” Saakashvili said.

According to Saakashvili, the Caucasus should be integrated, because it is the only way for the development of the region.

“I believe that the economy of the Caucasus in the future should be integrated,” Saakashvili said.

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.