Azerbaijan, Baku, July 25 /Trend S.Agayeva/
Azerbaijan is a key partner of Uzbekistan in the region, ambassador of Uzbekistan to Azerbaijan Shirzad Faiziev said at a press conference in Baku.
"Uzbekistan attaches great importance to its relations with Azerbaijan as we are bound by historical roots" the diplomat said.
He noted that Uzbekistan supports the fair position of Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and supports peaceful settlement of the conflict within Azerbaijan's territorial integrity.
Faiziev noted that Uzbekistan intends to develop economic cooperation with Azerbaijan.
"Trade, economic, transport and transit projects are very important to us and we want to develop cooperation in these areas," Faiziev 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 per cent 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 the 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.