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BAKU: Aliyev Sends Terse Message To Armenia

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  • BAKU: Aliyev Sends Terse Message To Armenia

    ALIYEV SENDS TERSE MESSAGE TO ARMENIA

    AzerNews Weekly, Azerbaijan
    June 1 2006

    Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev sent a harsh message to Armenia
    on Friday, a statement that follows a visit by the OSCE mediators
    brokering settlement to the long-standing conflict over Upper (Nagorno)
    Garabagh to the region. Aliyev said the occupied territories will be
    freed no matter what it takes.

    "We will make use of all means to liberate our land from occupation.

    We will resort to diplomatic, economic, transport, and, if necessary,
    military means, as this is our right," the Azerbaijani leader said
    addressing celebrations dedicated to the Day of Republic, May 28.

    "Armenia should think carefully - how long will the Azerbaijani people
    tolerate this? They should withdraw from the Azerbaijani land they
    occupied on their own free will, otherwise, a military option will
    be used, as Azerbaijan will not allow the establishment of a second
    Armenian state on its soil.

    We will never allow Upper Garabagh's separation from Azerbaijan,"
    the commander-in-chief said. "Independence is not measured by state
    attributes alone. It is also directly related to the country's
    pursuing an independent policy. The Armenian aggression is the main
    threat posed to Azerbaijan's independence," he said. President Aliyev
    said, however, that he does not support a resumption of military
    action. "No one wants the war to be restarted. Who wants bloodshed
    to take place again and people to die?" he enquired. Upper Garabagh,
    which is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, has both
    Azeri and ethnic Armenian population. It was occupied by Armenia
    in early 1990s, along with seven other Azerbaijani districts, after
    large-scale hostilities that killed up to 30,000 people and forced over
    a million Azeris out of their homes. The ceasefire accord was signed in
    1994, but peace talks have been fruitless so far and refugees remain
    stranded. President Aliyev condemned some international organizations
    disregarding the Armenian policy of aggression. "Armenians celebrate
    the day of 'liberation' of Shusha [an ancient Azeri town occupied by
    Armenia during the hostilities].

    The question is who was Shusha freed from? No one but Azerbaijanis
    had lived there. This means Armenians mark the outcomes of their
    ethnic cleansing policy on the state level. Why are international
    organizations and rights groups as well as some forces within the
    country who blare about democracy and human rights turning a blind
    eye to this?" It appears that the United States has set out a goal
    to fully resolve the Upper Garabagh conflict as early as in 2006,
    considering the latest message from US President George Bush. Bush sent
    a letter to his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev on Friday saying
    that he is looking forward to consistent efforts by the Azerbaijani
    head of state to achieve a negotiated settlement to the Garabagh
    dispute. In his message sent on the occasion of the Day of Republic,
    he also expressed hope that peace talks to settle the conflict would
    continue. Bush indicated that President Aliyev's visit to Washington
    late in April was very beneficial, saying the talks he had with his
    Azerbaijani counterpart were a historic chance to advance mutual
    interests in the area of security, energy and democracy. The US
    president wrote that the Azerbaijani government remains committed to
    achieving a prosperous and bright future for the people and voiced
    confidence that the democratic and economic reforms will be continued
    to ensure the country's future success.

    Mediators urge 'peace option' The OSCE mediators have reaffirmed the
    need to seek a peaceful solution to the Garabagh conflict, saying it
    is time for the sides to reach agreement on key principles of the peace
    process. Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Grigori Karasin, US Assistant
    Secretary of State Daniel Fried and former French ambassador to Russia
    and China Pierre Morel, who accompanied the Minsk Group co-chairs
    from Russia, US and France and the OSCE chairman's special envoy on
    their visit to Baku, issued a joint statement last Wednesday. The
    intermediaries said their respective countries and the world community
    in particular are confident that any option other than peace will not
    lead to the conflict settlement. "Both countries should prepare their
    people not for war but peace." The co-chairmen indicated that the way
    the negotiations will unfold depends on Azerbaijan and Armenia proper.

    "We are leaving Azerbaijan with hope and confidence for progress,"
    the statement reads. US Assistant Secretary of State Fried has urged
    the sides to take decisive actions to reach a solution on Garabagh.

    "All the nations in the region are entitled to peace. To make this
    happen, resolute steps on the state level are required. I believe
    both President Ilham Aliyev and his Armenian counterpart Robert
    Kocharian are capable of achieving peace." Foreign Minister Elmar
    Mammadyarov said some of the new ideas put forth by the mediators
    are acceptable for Azerbaijan. "There are interesting ideas. We are
    satisfied with some of them," he told the press while commenting
    on the suggestions made by the Minsk Group co-chairs during their
    visit to Baku. Mammadyarov added that during the talks with the
    intermediaries, work was carried out on these ideas, but he did not
    provide any details. Nonetheless, Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov
    said the MG co-chairs did not bring any specific proposals. "By making
    such statements, they are just trying to raise the magnitude of their
    activity in the eyes of the public. The mediators undoubtedly must
    justify their actions, which is why we hear statements about new ideas
    every time," Azimov said. Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia Ilham
    Aliyev and Robert Kocharian have agreed to hold the next meeting to
    discuss Garabagh settlement in Bucharest.

    The meeting between the two heads of state is to take place on the
    sidelines of the Black Sea Summit for Dialogue and Partnership due in
    the Romanian capital June 4-6. Azerbaijan and Armenia failed to agree
    upon the issues of principle during the latest talks held by the two
    presidents in Rambouillet, France in February, which was followed by
    Azerbaijan's threats to resort to military action.

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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