UN General Assembly
1998

resolution of the political problems. As a result of Azerbaijan?s persistence, it was possible in October 1997 to find points of contiguity with Armenia?s position, and real opportunities for progress have emerged. The subsequent internal political events in Armenia, however, and the resulting drastic revision of its attitudes led to a decline in the dynamism of the Minsk process. A just and lasting settlement cannot be achieved by Armenia?s military pressure on Azerbaijan, by its continuing occupation of parts of the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan and by increasing its military potential there, by putting forward preconditions for the resumption of negotiations on the basis of the results of Armenia?s aggression, or by imposing new procedural frameworks on the negotiations process, in order to perpetuate the situation resulting from the conflict. Illegal transfers of arms from Russia to Armenia, worth more than $1 billion, and regular joint military exercises of those countries designed to increase the offensive potential of the Armenia?s armed forces not only prevent a facilitation of the settlement, but also have