YEREVAN. – Azerbaijan is culpable for maintaining the status quo in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian on Tuesday noted the aforementioned at his joint news conference with Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden Margot Wallström, who is paying an official visit to Armenia.

Nalbandian stated this commenting on Baku’s threats toward Armenia and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group.

In the FM’s words, the Azerbaijani authorities make recurring statements that do not correspond to the spirit of international communication.

“It’s surprising that Baku does not learn lessons from how such statements are counterproductive,” Nalbandian added.

The Armenian FM recalled that Armenia and the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs have no interest in maintaining the status quo in the Karabakh conflict, and added that changes are possible solely through negotiations.

“It is Azerbaijan that exacerbates the situation,” the FM recalled.

At the same time, however, he expressed the hope that Azerbaijan will ultimately realize that such demeanor does not give it an advantage.

“Whereas we [i.e. the Armenian party to the conflict] and the co-chairs will continue exerting efforts for a peaceful solution, since the negotiations have no alternative,” Edward Nalbandian concluded.