Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Novruz Mammadov: "The Only Way Of Armenia Is To Release The Occupied

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Novruz Mammadov: "The Only Way Of Armenia Is To Release The Occupied

    NOVRUZ MAMMADOV: "THE ONLY WAY OF ARMENIA IS TO RELEASE THE OCCUPIED AZERBAIJANI TERRITORIES"

    APA
    17 Dec 2009 14:11
    Baku

    Baku. Lachin Sultanova - APA. Chief of the international relations
    department of the Presidential Administration Novruz Mammadov's
    interview to APA

    - Before the last visit of the co-chairs, Russian Foreign Ministry's
    official said mediators submitted new version of the Madrid proposals
    to the sides. What is difference between this version and previous one?

    - The essence of the Madrid proposals is that the territorial integrity
    of Azerbaijan should be secured and fate of any ethnic minority should
    be determined within the territorial integrity. This experience
    is used by many countries. There are countries where hundreds of
    thousands, millions ethnic minorities are living there and they
    determined their fate within these countries. Our neighbor Russian
    Federation can be an example for that. How many ethnic minorities are
    living there? All of them determined their fates. But according to the
    Armenian concept, there should be 20-30 countries in the territory of
    Russia. There are thousands and millions of ethnic minorities in the
    European countries. Should Armenia change the world's order with its
    new concept now? The Azerbaijan's position is that its territory be
    liberated phase-by-phase. In the first phase, five or seven regions
    should be liberated, then status of the corridor between the Nagorno
    Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and Armenia should be determined and
    then other issues should be solved. The main issue is that there
    should be a transition period after these phases and returning of
    refugees and displaced person to their homeland. In a certain period,
    the discussions should be started over the status of Nagorno Karabakh
    to find a form that should be used for the determination of its status
    within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. Madrid proposals
    saved their essence and may be a short sentence was changed there.

    - How do you value the last visit of the mediators?

    - The co-chairs' visit followed the successful visit of President
    Ilham Aliyev to France, a country which is one of the OSCE Minsk Group
    co-chairs. Therefore negotiations between the Azerbaijani and French
    leaders were important. The co-chairs should hold some consultations
    over this issue and learn eh results of those negotiations from
    the presidents.

    I should remind that last negotiations between the presidents had
    a positive dynamic. This year, the world community, particularly
    leading countries such as the United States, Russia and France increase
    their attention to this issue and they saw that indeed stability and
    security in the South Caucasus could be restored only through the
    solution of Nagorno Karabakh problem, which is the most painful and
    most important problem of the South Caucasus. In any case, the opening
    of borders and solution to this conflict link with each other. They
    understand that very well. But they are making some statements for
    certain interests now. All of the presidents of Russia, France and
    the United States stated in their meetings, phone conversations or
    correspondence with the Azerbaijani president that it is time for
    the solution to the conflict. What does it mean to open the borders?

    Today, in the period of crisis, Armenia has poor opportunities to
    maintain itself.

    Armenia's relations with Russia are not on the previous level, Armenia
    can not exist only at the cost of Iran. Armenia has isolated itself.

    Now Armenia needs a ventlight, an opening. This opening would
    be the opening of the borders between Turkey and Armenia. We see
    everything, the care of the West for Armenia. We do not protest against
    it. They can show their love, care as much as they want. But knowing
    Azerbaijan's importance they should not ignore us. Azerbaijan should
    be shown the attitude it deserves, because Azerbaijan is a state that
    has independent foreign and domestic policy and differs from others.

    As I have said, Armenia is in hard condition. The US, France, Russia,
    and even Armenian leadership understand that it is impossible to
    achieve stability, security in the region and development of Armenia
    as a state without solving the conflict. But on the other hand, the
    Armenian leadership understands that after the conflict is solved
    their people will wipe them out. Armenian leadership has always
    used the conflict as a means to come to power. Despite their fears,
    they took some steps, because they had no other alternative. Now,
    there is no way back. Azerbaijani President said in his speeches
    in November-December that our tolerance, patience is not endless,
    if no results are produced in this process, we have the right
    to seek for other variants. This message caused great anxiety in
    Armenia. For several weeks they have been speaking what they will
    do, if Azerbaijan starts war. The only way of Armenia is to release
    the occupied Azerbaijani territories through negotiations, within
    the framework of Madrid principles. There is no other way out, the
    protraction of the conflict will create serious problems for Armenia.

    The aim of the co-chairs' visit was to specify Azerbaijani President's
    position and prepare basis for the new meeting to be held early
    next year.

    -Azerbaijan always says that it is ready to give the highest status
    to Nagorno Karabakh. Can Azerbaijan become a federative state after
    the final status of Nagorno Karabakh is determined?

    -No, it can't. There is no ground for it. Azerbaijan is a unitary
    state and Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic exists within this framework.

    There was also Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Province. Now the question
    is the status that will be determined within the framework the
    vertical relations with Azerbaijan's central government. Within this
    framework any ethnic minority can achieve self-determination. What
    is the self-determination? The national minority may have the right
    to study in the mother tongue, develop culture, customs and traditions.

    There are hundreds of models in the world in connection with this,
    it is possible to use one of them. One of the best models is, as I
    have already said, Russian Federation. It will be determined in the
    process of negotiations on what variant we will reach agreement. It
    will be the last stage in the coordination of Madrid principles.

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Working...
X