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LEVON MELIK-SHAHNAZARIAN: AZERBAIJAN IS TRYING TO INFLUENCE ON THE OUTCOMES OF PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS TO BE HELD IN RA
DeFacto Agency, Armenia
May 8 2007
Statements made by AR FM Elmar Mammadyarov and President Ilham Aliyev
on reaching agreements concerning the Karabagh conflict settlement's
basic principles are targeted at influencing the outcomes of the
Parliamentary elections to be held in RA, IAA DE FACTO political
editor Levon Melik-Shahnazarian stated at the Pastark press club in
Yerevan on Tuesday.
To remind, early May AR FM Elmar Mammadyarov stated there was an
agreement on returning the seven regions to Azerbaijan, including
Kelbajar and Lachin, and on the Azeri migrants' return to Shoushi,
Hojalu and other settlements. Then, in Mammadyarov's words, a
referendum on verification of the Nagorno-Karabagh's status within
Azerbaijan will be held. Since the Armenian party did not react to
the statement, AR President Ilham Aliyev also made almost analogous
statement.
May 4, speaking at the opening of a settlement for migrants in the
village of Ramany, Ilham Aliyev said, '~Rall the seven regions of
Azerbaijan, including Kelbajar and Lachin, should be unconditionally
liberated'~R. '~RThere is a common agreement. We can do it step by
step, however, the process should not be dragged out, it needs to
be resolved in a few years'~R, he noted. Aliyev added the second
principal issue was the refugees' return to their '~Rnative hearths'~R.
'~ROnly after it the Nagorno-Karabagh's juridical status cane be
considered, and it should be resolved within the frames of Azerbaijan's
territorial integrity'~R, AR President underscored.
In the course of the press conference a political scientist Levon
Melik-Shahnazarian stated such an agreement on determination of
the Nagorno-Karabagh's status did not exist. As for the NKR status,
it was determined by its population's will in 1991.
At the same time, commenting on RA FM Vardan Oskanian's statement,
according to which the parties have never been so close to reaching
agreement on the settlement's basic principles, the Armenian political
scientist noted there was not and could not be an agreement on the
settlement's basic principles - the Nagorno-Karabagh's status.
'~RLack of an agreement on an item of the document on the bargaining
table reduces all previously reached agreements to zero'~R, Levon
Melik-Shahnazarian underscored.
According to the political scientist, the Azeri party's statements are
targeted at influencing the outcomes of the elections to RA National
Assembly. The Azeri party considered that believing the statements
Armenian voters would think the ruling parties had betrayed national
interests and would not give their votes for the Republican Party and
ARF Dashnaktsutyun, which are in power. In the political scientist's
words, Azerbaijan is trying to assist liberal Armenian parties,
as RA present leadership is uncompromising in its desire to protect
Artsakh. Levon Shahnazarian noted Azerbaijan's statements were likely
to be coordinated with the American party, which wishes more liberal
and pro American forces to come to power.
DeFacto Agency, Armenia
May 8 2007
Statements made by AR FM Elmar Mammadyarov and President Ilham Aliyev
on reaching agreements concerning the Karabagh conflict settlement's
basic principles are targeted at influencing the outcomes of the
Parliamentary elections to be held in RA, IAA DE FACTO political
editor Levon Melik-Shahnazarian stated at the Pastark press club in
Yerevan on Tuesday.
To remind, early May AR FM Elmar Mammadyarov stated there was an
agreement on returning the seven regions to Azerbaijan, including
Kelbajar and Lachin, and on the Azeri migrants' return to Shoushi,
Hojalu and other settlements. Then, in Mammadyarov's words, a
referendum on verification of the Nagorno-Karabagh's status within
Azerbaijan will be held. Since the Armenian party did not react to
the statement, AR President Ilham Aliyev also made almost analogous
statement.
May 4, speaking at the opening of a settlement for migrants in the
village of Ramany, Ilham Aliyev said, '~Rall the seven regions of
Azerbaijan, including Kelbajar and Lachin, should be unconditionally
liberated'~R. '~RThere is a common agreement. We can do it step by
step, however, the process should not be dragged out, it needs to
be resolved in a few years'~R, he noted. Aliyev added the second
principal issue was the refugees' return to their '~Rnative hearths'~R.
'~ROnly after it the Nagorno-Karabagh's juridical status cane be
considered, and it should be resolved within the frames of Azerbaijan's
territorial integrity'~R, AR President underscored.
In the course of the press conference a political scientist Levon
Melik-Shahnazarian stated such an agreement on determination of
the Nagorno-Karabagh's status did not exist. As for the NKR status,
it was determined by its population's will in 1991.
At the same time, commenting on RA FM Vardan Oskanian's statement,
according to which the parties have never been so close to reaching
agreement on the settlement's basic principles, the Armenian political
scientist noted there was not and could not be an agreement on the
settlement's basic principles - the Nagorno-Karabagh's status.
'~RLack of an agreement on an item of the document on the bargaining
table reduces all previously reached agreements to zero'~R, Levon
Melik-Shahnazarian underscored.
According to the political scientist, the Azeri party's statements are
targeted at influencing the outcomes of the elections to RA National
Assembly. The Azeri party considered that believing the statements
Armenian voters would think the ruling parties had betrayed national
interests and would not give their votes for the Republican Party and
ARF Dashnaktsutyun, which are in power. In the political scientist's
words, Azerbaijan is trying to assist liberal Armenian parties,
as RA present leadership is uncompromising in its desire to protect
Artsakh. Levon Shahnazarian noted Azerbaijan's statements were likely
to be coordinated with the American party, which wishes more liberal
and pro American forces to come to power.