BAKU, October 1 (RIA Novosti) - Baku has proposed that Azerbaijan and Armenia jointly use a corridor linking Armenia to Nagorny Karabakh, an Azerbaijani deputy foreign minister said on Thursday.

Nagorny Karabakh, an enclave inside Azerbaijan with a predominantly ethnic Armenian population, has been a source of conflict between the former Soviet republics since the late 1980s. The province has its own government and is de facto independent.

The war between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the mountainous enclave in 1988-1994 left an estimated 35,000 people dead. Sporadic violence on the border has continued ever since.

"Armenians often say they need communication between the Armenian community in Karabakh and Armenia. But the road across Lachin is important for Azerbaijan as well," Araz Azimov said.

The Lachin corridor is a mountain pass within the de-jure borders of Azerbaijan and is the shortest route connecting Armenia with Nagorny Karabakh.

Azimov said, however, that Azerbaijan was categorically against this road being used by one side only, adding that Armenia had failed to be constructive on the issue.