Azerbaijan says it wants to reintegrate Karabakh Armenians peacefully

Azerbaijan said on Wednesday that it wanted to integrate the ethnic Armenians of its Nagorno-Karabakh region peacefully, after forcing the surrender of the forces defending the breakaway territory in a 24-hour offensive.

Hikmet Hajiyev, foreign policy adviser to Azerbaijan's president, told a news conference that the disarmament of Karabakh forces would improve the chances of successfully reintegrating the territory, which had been out of Baku's control for three decades, as well as the prospects of peace with Azerbaijan's neighbour Armenia.

He dismissed calls for U.N. Security Council involvement, saying any issues needed to be solved on the ground.