Tweet
Serious progress made in talks with Armenia - Azeri leader
Turan news agency, Baku
19 Aug 05
Ismayilli, 19 August: Serious progress has been made in the talks on
the settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict, however, it does not
give us full assurances for a peace agreement, Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliyev has told journalists.
Evaluating the prospects of the forthcoming meeting between the
Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders in Kazan (Russia) on 23 August,
he admitted that there are still "serious differences" between the
sides. Nevertheless, unlike Armenia Azerbaijan's position remains
unchanged. This position was put forward in the first meeting with
the Armenian president in Geneva back in late 2003. Azerbaijan's
stand is that the occupied territories should be liberated, internally
displaced persons should return to their native land, ethnic Armenians
in Karabakh can receive a high degree of self-administration and
their security can be guaranteed.
Aliyev said that the "Prague process" envisages this option of
settlement, which is also called a "stage-by-stage" solution. The
occupied territories should be liberated and refugees should return
first and then talks on the status of Nagornyy Karabakh should start.
Moreover, these talks can be held without any time limit.
"No decision contradicting the will of the Azerbaijani people will
be made," Aliyev said. The country's territorial integrity will never
be a subject of discussion, he stressed.
Weighing the chances for a breakthrough in the settlement process,
Aliyev said that all the factors work for Azerbaijan. The country's
military potential is rising at a high pace and Armenia cannot compete
with Azerbaijan in this respect.
Azerbaijan's position is in line with modern processes going on in the
world, while Armenia's stance is a leftover from the past, Aliyev said.
Turan news agency, Baku
19 Aug 05
Ismayilli, 19 August: Serious progress has been made in the talks on
the settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict, however, it does not
give us full assurances for a peace agreement, Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliyev has told journalists.
Evaluating the prospects of the forthcoming meeting between the
Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders in Kazan (Russia) on 23 August,
he admitted that there are still "serious differences" between the
sides. Nevertheless, unlike Armenia Azerbaijan's position remains
unchanged. This position was put forward in the first meeting with
the Armenian president in Geneva back in late 2003. Azerbaijan's
stand is that the occupied territories should be liberated, internally
displaced persons should return to their native land, ethnic Armenians
in Karabakh can receive a high degree of self-administration and
their security can be guaranteed.
Aliyev said that the "Prague process" envisages this option of
settlement, which is also called a "stage-by-stage" solution. The
occupied territories should be liberated and refugees should return
first and then talks on the status of Nagornyy Karabakh should start.
Moreover, these talks can be held without any time limit.
"No decision contradicting the will of the Azerbaijani people will
be made," Aliyev said. The country's territorial integrity will never
be a subject of discussion, he stressed.
Weighing the chances for a breakthrough in the settlement process,
Aliyev said that all the factors work for Azerbaijan. The country's
military potential is rising at a high pace and Armenia cannot compete
with Azerbaijan in this respect.
Azerbaijan's position is in line with modern processes going on in the
world, while Armenia's stance is a leftover from the past, Aliyev said.