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Armenia, Azerbaijan Presidents Discuss Nagorny Karabakh Situation

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  • Armenia, Azerbaijan Presidents Discuss Nagorny Karabakh Situation

    ARMENIA, AZERBAIJAN PRESIDENTS DISCUSS NAGORNY KARABAKH SITUATION

    ITAR-TASS, Russia
    June 6 2006

    BUCHAREST, June 6 (Itar-Tass) -- Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan,
    Robert Kocharyan and Ilkham Aliyev, on Monday exchanged opinions
    regarding the current situation and prospects for settlement of
    conflict in the ethnic enclave of Karabakh, a mostly Armenian-populated
    region of Azerbaijan.

    They presented opinions on this problem while taking part in The
    Black Sea Dialogue and Partnership forum that opened here on Monday.

    "Armenia is ready to continue dialogue with Azerbaijan, to find the
    ways of settling the conflict situation in Nagorny Karabakh and to
    formulate its relations with Turkey," Kocharyan said.

    "The people of Nagorny Karabakh chose their destiny during a referendum
    that was held in compliance with the norms of international law,"
    he went on saying.

    "However, the population of Karabakh was forced to fight for the
    right to self-determination with arms in the hand," Kocharian said.

    "This process was accentuated by disintegration of the former Soviet
    Union."

    "Residents of Nagorny Karabakh continued their fight for independence
    during the last 15 years," Kocharyan said. "A whole generation, which
    sees itself as 'successor to and fighter for self-determination and
    independence', has grown to maturity in Nagorny Karabakh."

    Aliyev, in his turn, pointed out that his country's territorial
    integrity was recognized by all countries and the United Nations.

    "We're satisfied with the resoluteness expressed by the world community
    to settling the Karabakh conflict on the basis of the UN resolution,"
    Aliyev said.

    He reiterated that "under the resolution, the Armenian troops should
    be withdrawn from the Nagorny Karabakh territory."

    "We're also satisfied with the position of other international
    organizations on this issue and we support the Armenians' right to
    self-determination and independence," Aliyev said. "But we believe the
    self-determination process should not be implemented in the territory
    of Azerbaijan," he said.

    Many Armenian diasporas live all over the world, and we realize what
    could have happened if everyone of them had spoken in favor of the
    right to independence, Aliyev said.

    "We begin a peaceful process together with Armenia, but we believe that
    Azerbaijan's territorial integrity is not a theme for discussions,"
    Aliyev said.

    "Peace settlement in Karabakh will be helpful for stability,
    integration and emergence of new possibilities for cooperation [in
    the region]," Aliyev said.
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