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AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT ANNOUNCES DETAILS OF KARABAKH NEGOTIATIONS
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
May 4 2007
Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev has announced some details of
the negotiations for the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict,
APA reports.
Noting that Armenia violates confidentiality in the negotiations,
Azerbaijani head of state underlined that he wants to publicize the
content of the negotiations.
The President noted that the negotiations are held in the framework
of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and said official Baku agrees
to give the highest autonomy to Nagorno Karabakh.
"Peacekeeping forces can be temporarily deployed in the territory.
Peacekeepers are used in the conflict zones in the world. There
is an agreement on returning of seven regions. Armenians could
persuade the international community in the initial stage of the
negotiations, but in further stage we could prove that Armenia
continues to occupy Azerbaijani lands. All these determine the
format of the negotiations, and no discussion is possible beyond
this format. This is Azerbaijan's unambiguous policy. I have stated
several times that the conflict can be solved in the framework of
Azerbaijan's territorial integrity. Armenian people already achieved
their self-determination, they have their own state. If the Armenians
living in Nagorno Karabakh again want self-determination, they should
go to Armenia... We are loyal to these principles and I am glad that
international organizations give preference to these. This may be
of no great practical importance in connection with the solution
of the problem now, but it will be political support for us in the
process of negotiations or when the talks suspended. We used to
preserve confidentially. However, Armenian officials have recently
made false statements on the process of negotiations. They say that
the parties have agreed on a principle. It is false," Azerbaijani
President underlined.
President Ilham Aliyev noted that internal situation strained in
Armenia, and therefore, the officials make such statements to pacify
the people. These statements take into consideration the internal
situation in Armenia.
"Why does Armenia want to suspend the negotiations on the eve of
parliamentary elections? If the negotiations favored them, they would
accelerate the negotiations," he underlined announcing Azerbaijan's
position again.
"All the occupied territories of Azerbaijan should be returned
unconditionally. At the early stage it was proposed to return only
five regions and leave Kalbajar and Lachin to further round of the
negotiations. But we never consented to this. We will never agree
to the returning of Kalbajar and Lachin conditionally. There is a
consent in the current negotiations that seven regions are returned to
Azerbaijan. Of course, we understand that we can solve this through
stages. But this stage should not be delayed. We hope that after the
peace agreement, seven regions should be returned, Nagorno Karabakh
Azerbaijanis should be brought back to their original places. This
is our principal term. This position has been approved.
Both the mediators and Armenia have accepted this in the negotiating
process. Who is lying to his people does not concern me. I only
publicize the principal momentums of the negotiations. We have no any
secret plan. Seven occupied regions of Azerbaijan should be liberated,
Azerbaijanis should be brought back to Nagorno Karabakh, including
Shusha. Only after this, the status of Nagorno Karabakh will be
defined. The status of Nagorno Karabakh cannot be defined without
our consent. No country has recognized recent illegal referendum
in Nagorno Karabakh. Several international organizations - European
Union, Council of Europe, Organization of the Islamic Conference, GUAM
countries condemned this referendum. We will never agree to separate
Nagorno Karabakh from Azerbaijan, we will restore our territorial
integrity in any way. Armenians in Nagorno Karabakh arrived their as
guests, and should behave as guests. Nagorno Karabakh had status in
the Soviet times. We can give a higher status.
We are prepared to give the highest status to Nagorno Karabakh but
in Azerbaijan. All international organizations, including OSCE Minsk
Group support our position. We do not need to bring peacekeepers to
the territory, Armenia wants it, as it fears and wants to ensure its
safety and we agreed. It exists in the world practice. Lachin corridor
can be used to for contact between Nagorno Karabakh and Armenia. So,
these are the principles that are being mainly discussed...," President
Aliyev stressed.
Touching on the military build-up in Azerbaijan, the head of state
stressed that Azerbaijan's military budget equals to Armenia's general
budget.
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
May 4 2007
Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev has announced some details of
the negotiations for the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict,
APA reports.
Noting that Armenia violates confidentiality in the negotiations,
Azerbaijani head of state underlined that he wants to publicize the
content of the negotiations.
The President noted that the negotiations are held in the framework
of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and said official Baku agrees
to give the highest autonomy to Nagorno Karabakh.
"Peacekeeping forces can be temporarily deployed in the territory.
Peacekeepers are used in the conflict zones in the world. There
is an agreement on returning of seven regions. Armenians could
persuade the international community in the initial stage of the
negotiations, but in further stage we could prove that Armenia
continues to occupy Azerbaijani lands. All these determine the
format of the negotiations, and no discussion is possible beyond
this format. This is Azerbaijan's unambiguous policy. I have stated
several times that the conflict can be solved in the framework of
Azerbaijan's territorial integrity. Armenian people already achieved
their self-determination, they have their own state. If the Armenians
living in Nagorno Karabakh again want self-determination, they should
go to Armenia... We are loyal to these principles and I am glad that
international organizations give preference to these. This may be
of no great practical importance in connection with the solution
of the problem now, but it will be political support for us in the
process of negotiations or when the talks suspended. We used to
preserve confidentially. However, Armenian officials have recently
made false statements on the process of negotiations. They say that
the parties have agreed on a principle. It is false," Azerbaijani
President underlined.
President Ilham Aliyev noted that internal situation strained in
Armenia, and therefore, the officials make such statements to pacify
the people. These statements take into consideration the internal
situation in Armenia.
"Why does Armenia want to suspend the negotiations on the eve of
parliamentary elections? If the negotiations favored them, they would
accelerate the negotiations," he underlined announcing Azerbaijan's
position again.
"All the occupied territories of Azerbaijan should be returned
unconditionally. At the early stage it was proposed to return only
five regions and leave Kalbajar and Lachin to further round of the
negotiations. But we never consented to this. We will never agree
to the returning of Kalbajar and Lachin conditionally. There is a
consent in the current negotiations that seven regions are returned to
Azerbaijan. Of course, we understand that we can solve this through
stages. But this stage should not be delayed. We hope that after the
peace agreement, seven regions should be returned, Nagorno Karabakh
Azerbaijanis should be brought back to their original places. This
is our principal term. This position has been approved.
Both the mediators and Armenia have accepted this in the negotiating
process. Who is lying to his people does not concern me. I only
publicize the principal momentums of the negotiations. We have no any
secret plan. Seven occupied regions of Azerbaijan should be liberated,
Azerbaijanis should be brought back to Nagorno Karabakh, including
Shusha. Only after this, the status of Nagorno Karabakh will be
defined. The status of Nagorno Karabakh cannot be defined without
our consent. No country has recognized recent illegal referendum
in Nagorno Karabakh. Several international organizations - European
Union, Council of Europe, Organization of the Islamic Conference, GUAM
countries condemned this referendum. We will never agree to separate
Nagorno Karabakh from Azerbaijan, we will restore our territorial
integrity in any way. Armenians in Nagorno Karabakh arrived their as
guests, and should behave as guests. Nagorno Karabakh had status in
the Soviet times. We can give a higher status.
We are prepared to give the highest status to Nagorno Karabakh but
in Azerbaijan. All international organizations, including OSCE Minsk
Group support our position. We do not need to bring peacekeepers to
the territory, Armenia wants it, as it fears and wants to ensure its
safety and we agreed. It exists in the world practice. Lachin corridor
can be used to for contact between Nagorno Karabakh and Armenia. So,
these are the principles that are being mainly discussed...," President
Aliyev stressed.
Touching on the military build-up in Azerbaijan, the head of state
stressed that Azerbaijan's military budget equals to Armenia's general
budget.