The Process Of The Settlement Of The Armenian-Azerbaijani Conflict
Chronology of the conflict from 1988 up to present days.

History of the second Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict throughout the 20th century takes its beginning from February, 1988, when the session of the Council of Oblast (NKAO) of the Azerbijan SSR adopted decision to secede from Azerbaijan and to unite with Armenia. Not a confessional and ethnic factors are the basis of the conflict which started as local clashes and turned into one of the most long-standing and bloody conflicts in post-war Europe. Its roots are in the expansionism and policy of territorial agression aimed at the expansion of the territory of a state by means of the armed abruption and forceful seizure of a part of the territory of another sovereign state, which is a member of the UN, OSCE and other international organisations.
A prologue of a full-scale armed aggression against Azerbaijan became anti-constitutional actions by separatist groups in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, supported by and controlled from outside completely contradicting Internationl Lae and the Soviet legislation in vigour that time.
Having begun with organising of the illegal meetings, strikes and actions of non-obediences, the Republic of Armenia started to establish the unconstitutional power instutions in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. The military formations as well as a huge amount of weapons and ammunitions were shipped on the territory of Azerbaijan. A military bridgehead was set up to conduct an armed aggression against Azerbaijan.

Full-scale hostilities in the zone of-the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict triggered at the end of 1991-early 1992.Armenian armed formations, using the most modern weapon systems, deployed combat operations in the Nagorna-Karabakh region, culmination of which became a seizure of the city of Khodjali in February, 1992 resulted in nearly peaceful inhabitants, including the olds, women and children., brutally killed, and occupation of the Shusha rayon in May, 1992.Thereupon, armed actions were beyond the adminstrative boundaries of the region and expanded to the rest of Azerbaijan and Armenia-Azerbaijan border, includng its Nakhichevan zone.Pending the period from May , 1992 until May, 1994 6 more rayons of Azerbaijan were occipied.
Thus, as a result of aggreession against the Republic of Azerbaijan, more than 17.000 km² were occupied that constitute about 20% of the whole territory of the country, more thna 18.000 person were killed, over 50.000 are wounded or invalidated, more than 900 settlements, 100 thousand dwellings , more 1 thousand economic objects, more than 600 schools, 250 institutions looted or ruined. Internally displaced persons exceeded 800.000 persons and plus nearly 200.000 from Armenia representing disastrous figures for the country with 7.5 mln. population.
Humanitarian situation.
As a result of ethnic cleansing, a dramatic humanitarian situation in Azerbaijan produced.The most of refugees and IDPs were accomodated in the tent camps, schools and student’s hostels. In spite undertaking efforts, they constantly threaten to perish with chill and epidemics due to the insufficient level of shelter and sanitary living conditions.The problem is aggravated by the presence of children and the olds. Although the total humanitarian aid sent to Azerbaijan in 1997 has formed 60 mln. US dollars for a present day that falls short of minimum need of the people affected by the conflict.
Arms supply to Armenia
Illegal suppulies of the Russian weapon to Armenia from 1994 to 1996, including 84 tanks T-72, 50 ACVs, 32 operative -tactical missiles R-17 with range of up 300 km, capable to carry nuclear warheads, and other arms worth of 1 billion US dollars, as the resent supply by Russia to Armenia of up-dated aircraft MIG-29 and plans to deploy in Armenia surface-to-air system S-300 worth 2 billion US dollars, cause a particular concern to Azerbaijan. This supplies violate norms of International Law, principles of the peaceful settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijan conflict. Such illegal actions are the contradiction with the UN Security Councils Resultation 853, Statement of Chairman of Security Council as of 18 August 1993, and decision of a OSCE Committee of Senior Officials as of 28 February and 14 March , 1992, which require to cancel a military supplies to the states, involed to the conflict, as promoting ti escalation of the conflict and continuation of the occupation of the Azerbaijani territories.
Illegal supplies are also in the direct contradiction with provisions of CFE Agreement.
Agreement between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Armenia on the friendship , co-operation and mutual assistance.
Signed on August 29, 1997. Practically, it constitutes a military alliance between two states. A signing of such Agreement testfies that, on the one hand, the Republic of Armenia is not going to solve Armenian-Azerbaijani armed conflict by the political means, but sees a further development of situation in the region as a continuation of armed confrontations with the Azerbaijan Republic, and on the another hand, Russian Federation falls short with its obligations as a state of Co-Chairman of the OSCE Minsk Conference.
Azerbaijan considers this Agreement as a factor that aggravates, in a considerable extent, tense situation in the armed conflict, and weakens hopes of region’s peoples for the peaceful settlemen of the Armenian-Azerbaijan conflict, normalisation of relations between the Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia and establishment of peace and security in the region.