Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov designated as “fruitless” the talks with the participation of the OSCE MG Co-Chairing countries’ Foreign Ministers in Almaty on July 17.

“I have the impression that the Armenian side does not want the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to be resolved,” he said. “In any case, we could not discuss the terms of return of Lachin and Kelbajar,” Mammadyarov said.

Granting independence to Nagorno-Karabakh cannot be a subject of further negotiations. Armenians have an independent state, Armenia. As regards the Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians’ self-determination, it is only possible as autonomy, within the boundaries Azerbaijan, Mammadyarov said.

He made no comment on the Foreign Ministers’ statement of July 17, which, Armenian and Azeri political analysts believe, is be aimed at Azerbaijan.