Positions of Ukraine and Azerbaijan on many issues of regional policy are based on close approaches.

"We think ensuring peace, security and stability in the OSCE area is a key factor, which would promote economic development of countries in whole and improve welfare of their citizens. In turn, I would like to assure that Ukraine’s position on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement remains unchanged and is based on respect of sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan within its internationally recognized borders," President Yanykovich said.
Ukraine comes out of necessity of solving this and other "lingering" conflicts exclusively through peace talks, on the base of principles and norms of the international law, Yanykovich added.
"Ukraine will undertake the OSCE chairmanship in 2013. In this role we will render every assistance to the resolution of "lingering" conflicts. It also concerns the OSCE Minsk Group’s activities. We hope that the political will of conflicting sides will enable to conclude coordinating the principles, which will be taken as basis to find a solution to the conflict," Yanykovich stressed.
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 seven 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 peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.