During the Paris meeting between Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents, the negotiations were held in several stages, and focused on the issues on which no progress has been achieved so far, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov told.

He was commenting on the remarks of Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian on the results of the meeting between Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents.

“In general, each presidential meeting is positive. Such meetings allow to understand the mood of the opposing side in order to promote the process of settlement of the conflict,” the minister added.

Mammadyarov said Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev reiterated Azerbaijan’s principal position: first, Armenian armed forces should withdraw from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan in order to achieve the peaceful settlement of the conflict.

“As soon as this demand of Azerbaijan, which is clearly supported by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs as well and is reflected in the resolutions of the UN Security Council, is fulfilled, there will be great opportunities to ensure security in the region, to open borders and communications and agree on the issues related to the confidence-building measures,” the minister said.

Mammadyarov added that if there are no Armenian troops on the Azerbaijani territories, the country will no more need snipers and the number of military incidents will decrease significantly. “We will be building peace and develop the region.”

“One of the significant results of the meeting was the call of French President Francois Hollande on Armenia and Azerbaijan as the conflicting sides to start the work on the project of a great peace treaty,” Mammadyarov said. “Azerbaijan has repeatedly expressed its readiness to start this work.”