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Interfax, Russia
June 8 2012
Baku links escalation in Karabakh conflict zone with Hillary Clinton's visit
BAKU. June 8
The latest provocations staged by the Armenian Armed Forces at the
contact line with Azerbaijan's Army were linked with the visit to the
region by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Azeri Deputy Prime
Minister Ali Gasanov said.
"Obviously, some states patronizing Armenia were not pleased with the
U.S. state secretary's visit and arranged for this incident to happen.
In any case, Armenians showed their real face to the whole world once
again," Gasanov, who is also chairman of the State Committee for
Refugees and Displaced Persons, told journalists on Friday.
Commenting on Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan's promise to
resolutely suppress any provocation targeting the state borders of
Armenia and the self-proclaimed Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, Gasanov
said: "The dogs bark, but the caravan goes on."
"This proverb roughly describes the situation Armenia has found itself
in. It is not the first time the Armenian authorities have threatened
Azerbaijan," Gasanov said.
International mediators' calls to refrain from the use of weapons
should certainly be treated positively, he said.
"The countries co-chairing the OSCE [Organization for Security and
Co-operation in Europe] Minsk Group and other countries have been
making statements in the past 20 years, calling on the sides in the
Karabakh conflict to refrain from starting a war. However, the
question is what steps have been taken by the states making such
statements and playing an immediate role in the negotiating process in
order to find a solution to the problem and eliminate any need for a
war? If one looks at them from this perspective, they are nothing more
than empty statements," Gasanov said.
"That is why President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has said more than
once that if Armenia refuses to change its position, the Azeri state,
its Armed Forces, acting on orders of the supreme commander-in-chief,
will be ready to liberate the occupied territories at any moment. This
statement made by the head of state more than once is still valid," he
said.
"As for Sargsyan's delirious remarks, he can say whatever he wants. He
is doing it out of fear. Armenia has found itself in a very difficult
situation because its patrons are refusing to help it one by one. And
we think that the Russian state, which holds the key to the settlement
of the Karabakh problem, will finally voice its objective position on
this issue," Gasanov said.
Tensions have been running high near the contact line between the
Azeri and Armenian Armed Forces in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone
in the past few days.
The Azeri Defense Ministry claims that "Armenian sabotage groups" made
several attempts to cross the line, but their attacks were rebuffed.
Five Azeri soldiers were killed and several more were injured.
tm
June 8 2012
Baku links escalation in Karabakh conflict zone with Hillary Clinton's visit
BAKU. June 8
The latest provocations staged by the Armenian Armed Forces at the
contact line with Azerbaijan's Army were linked with the visit to the
region by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Azeri Deputy Prime
Minister Ali Gasanov said.
"Obviously, some states patronizing Armenia were not pleased with the
U.S. state secretary's visit and arranged for this incident to happen.
In any case, Armenians showed their real face to the whole world once
again," Gasanov, who is also chairman of the State Committee for
Refugees and Displaced Persons, told journalists on Friday.
Commenting on Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan's promise to
resolutely suppress any provocation targeting the state borders of
Armenia and the self-proclaimed Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, Gasanov
said: "The dogs bark, but the caravan goes on."
"This proverb roughly describes the situation Armenia has found itself
in. It is not the first time the Armenian authorities have threatened
Azerbaijan," Gasanov said.
International mediators' calls to refrain from the use of weapons
should certainly be treated positively, he said.
"The countries co-chairing the OSCE [Organization for Security and
Co-operation in Europe] Minsk Group and other countries have been
making statements in the past 20 years, calling on the sides in the
Karabakh conflict to refrain from starting a war. However, the
question is what steps have been taken by the states making such
statements and playing an immediate role in the negotiating process in
order to find a solution to the problem and eliminate any need for a
war? If one looks at them from this perspective, they are nothing more
than empty statements," Gasanov said.
"That is why President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has said more than
once that if Armenia refuses to change its position, the Azeri state,
its Armed Forces, acting on orders of the supreme commander-in-chief,
will be ready to liberate the occupied territories at any moment. This
statement made by the head of state more than once is still valid," he
said.
"As for Sargsyan's delirious remarks, he can say whatever he wants. He
is doing it out of fear. Armenia has found itself in a very difficult
situation because its patrons are refusing to help it one by one. And
we think that the Russian state, which holds the key to the settlement
of the Karabakh problem, will finally voice its objective position on
this issue," Gasanov said.
Tensions have been running high near the contact line between the
Azeri and Armenian Armed Forces in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone
in the past few days.
The Azeri Defense Ministry claims that "Armenian sabotage groups" made
several attempts to cross the line, but their attacks were rebuffed.
Five Azeri soldiers were killed and several more were injured.
tm