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AZERBAIJAN STATES BID TO CONTINUE KARABAKH SETTLEMENT TALKS
by Sevindzh Abdullaeva, Viktor Shulman
ITAR-TASS News Agency, Russia
July 4, 2006 Tuesday
Azerbaijan has confirmed its bid to continue negotiations on a
peaceful settlement of the conflict around the mostly Armenian
populated Azerbaijani enclave of Nagorno Karabakh on the basis of a
stage-by-stage approach.
"The Azerbaijani side believes the first stage consists of eight to
ten components, including the pullout from all occupied territories
outside Nagorno Karabakh, the withdrawal of Armenian troops from
there, clearing of the military action zones of mines, a return of
displaced people with guarantees of their security, and restoration
of communications," a spokesman for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry
told Tass on Tuesday.
At the second stage, the legal status of the Nagorno-Karabakh region
of the Azerbaijani Republic must be determined, Tair Tagizade said.
This is only possible "on the basis of the Azerbaijani Constitution
within the framework of its territorial integrity after the restoration
of pre-war ethnic composition of Nagorno Karabakh population and
guarantees of security for the Azerbaijani and Armenian communities,"
he added.
"The basis of the talks has always been obvious for Azerbaijan,"
the diplomat stressed, adding that in line with the format of the
Prague process, conflict settlement talks are based on discussions
between the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanyan told a press conference
on Monday that "generally speaking, principles of the Karabakh
settlement proposed by the co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group for
Nagorno Karabakh are acceptable".
"We are ready to continue negotiations on the basis of those
principles, which are comprehensive, rather balanced and contain
a right alternative for a compromise," Tass quoted him as saying
in Yerevan.
The minister expressed hope that "Azerbaijan will reconsider its
view of the situation and an opportunity will be created to continue
negotiations and reach positive results".
Settlement principles of the OSCE Minsk Group were voiced in Vienna
on June 22. As the first stage, the co-chairmen offer a stage-by-stage
withdrawal of an Armenian military group from Azerbaijani territories
surrounding Nagorno Karabakh, and an ensuing demilitarization of
these territories.
Azerbaijan and Armenia must refuse to threat to use force or use it,
and ensure guarantees of bilateral and international security.
A referendum is envisaged in the future, which will determine the
final status of Nagorno Karabakh. The time frame of the referendum
has not been fixed yet. Later, they co-chairman plan a deployment
of international peacekeeping forces and the setting up of a joint
commission for the implementation of the agreement.
by Sevindzh Abdullaeva, Viktor Shulman
ITAR-TASS News Agency, Russia
July 4, 2006 Tuesday
Azerbaijan has confirmed its bid to continue negotiations on a
peaceful settlement of the conflict around the mostly Armenian
populated Azerbaijani enclave of Nagorno Karabakh on the basis of a
stage-by-stage approach.
"The Azerbaijani side believes the first stage consists of eight to
ten components, including the pullout from all occupied territories
outside Nagorno Karabakh, the withdrawal of Armenian troops from
there, clearing of the military action zones of mines, a return of
displaced people with guarantees of their security, and restoration
of communications," a spokesman for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry
told Tass on Tuesday.
At the second stage, the legal status of the Nagorno-Karabakh region
of the Azerbaijani Republic must be determined, Tair Tagizade said.
This is only possible "on the basis of the Azerbaijani Constitution
within the framework of its territorial integrity after the restoration
of pre-war ethnic composition of Nagorno Karabakh population and
guarantees of security for the Azerbaijani and Armenian communities,"
he added.
"The basis of the talks has always been obvious for Azerbaijan,"
the diplomat stressed, adding that in line with the format of the
Prague process, conflict settlement talks are based on discussions
between the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanyan told a press conference
on Monday that "generally speaking, principles of the Karabakh
settlement proposed by the co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group for
Nagorno Karabakh are acceptable".
"We are ready to continue negotiations on the basis of those
principles, which are comprehensive, rather balanced and contain
a right alternative for a compromise," Tass quoted him as saying
in Yerevan.
The minister expressed hope that "Azerbaijan will reconsider its
view of the situation and an opportunity will be created to continue
negotiations and reach positive results".
Settlement principles of the OSCE Minsk Group were voiced in Vienna
on June 22. As the first stage, the co-chairmen offer a stage-by-stage
withdrawal of an Armenian military group from Azerbaijani territories
surrounding Nagorno Karabakh, and an ensuing demilitarization of
these territories.
Azerbaijan and Armenia must refuse to threat to use force or use it,
and ensure guarantees of bilateral and international security.
A referendum is envisaged in the future, which will determine the
final status of Nagorno Karabakh. The time frame of the referendum
has not been fixed yet. Later, they co-chairman plan a deployment
of international peacekeeping forces and the setting up of a joint
commission for the implementation of the agreement.