NAGORNO KARABAKH AUTONOMY IMPOSSIBLE - ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICIAL

Interfax
June 18 2009
Russia

The lack of real progress in the settlement of the Nagorny Karabakh
conflict shows the non-constructive position of Azerbaijan, said
Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharian.

"The Azerbaijani authorities are simultaneously threatening to resolve
the conflict by military means and sign a document on the non-use of
force. [They] deny the existence of the 'Madrid document' and are
saying they have adopted this document and are sitting down at the
negotiation table mediated by the OSCE [Organization for Security and
Co-operation in Europe] Minsk Group while transfering the issue to
other international bodies. Azerbaijan's non-constructive policy is
tiring for the international community and they had to give up under
pressure from the mediators. An indication of this is the adoption
of the 'Madrid document,' the signing of the Meindorf Declaration,
and the St. Petersburg meeting, which contains positive responses,"
Kocharian said in an interview published in the Thursday edition of
the newspaper Aravot.

Kocharian said, evaluating Azerbaijan's policy on the Karabakh issue,
that "the country is using the negotiation process as a cover to
promote its own viewpoint that it cannot help resolve the problem."

Kocharian reiterated that the solution proposed by Azerbaijan,
which envisages the autonomy of Nagorny Karabakh in Azerbaijan,
is impossible. "Naturally, it's impossible and Azerbaijan should
realize that there is no way back," he said.