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Nagorno-Karabakh Needs Resolution

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  • Nagorno-Karabakh Needs Resolution

    NAGORNO-KARABAKH NEEDS RESOLUTION

    Voice of America
    Sept 1 2005

    Armenian President Robert Kocharian and Azerbaijani President
    Ilham Aliyev met in Kazan, Russia, to discuss Nagomo-Karabakh, a
    predominantly ethnic Armenian region of Azerbaijan, which, along
    with seven surrounding Azerbaijan territories, is under Armenian
    military control.

    The local Armenian population declared independence from Azerbaijan
    in 1991 and formed the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. But it is not
    recognized by any country in the world.

    War broke out between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh and
    an estimated thirty-five thousand people died. The fighting and the
    expulsion of Armenians from Azerbaijan and Azerbaijanis from Armenia
    displaced more than a million people. Armenia and Azerbaijan have
    observed a cease-fire agreement since 1994.

    Some one-hundred-thousand Azerbaijanis remain in refugee
    camps today, where conditions are often desperate. The U.S. is
    providing humanitarian assistance to ethnic Armenian residents of
    Nagorno-Karabakh and Azeris and others displaced to areas outside
    the region. U.S. aid includes housing, health care, and clean water.

    The U.S. supports the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and believes
    that the future status of Nagorno-Karabakh should be decided through
    negotiation. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urged both
    Mr. Kocharian and Mr. Aliyev to make the necessary compromises to
    achieve an accord. In addition, Ms. Rice urged president Aliyev to hold
    free and fair parliamentary elections this November in Azerbaijan. She
    also told President Kocharian she hoped Armenia would enact a package
    of constitutional reforms now before the parliament.

    A permanent peace agreement in Nagorno-Karabakh would help bring
    stability to Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the Caucasus region. Democratic
    reforms could further improve economic and political prospects for
    both Armenia and Azerbaijan.

    The preceding was an editorial reflecting the views of the United
    States Government.
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