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Lider TV, Azerbaijan
Dec 24 2009
Azeri leader says progress but no result in Karabakh talks
[Presenter] The information and telecommunications sector is
developing fast. Azerbaijan intends to launch its first orbital
satellite in two years, President Ilham Aliyev has told [Russia's]
Vesti TV channel. The head of state answered questions about economic
achievements in 2009, Azerbaijan's energy projects and prospects.
Highly assessing the relations between Azerbaijan and Russia, the head
of state also talked about the settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh
problem. [Aliyev, in Russian] From the point of view of the settlement
[of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict] I would describe this year as
positive but less positive than it could have been. Because back in
2008 the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan held talks, a
declaration was signed, by the Russian side as well, a joint
declaration on ways of settling the conflict. It [the declaration]
clearly said that the conflict should be resolved on the basis of
international norms and principles, decisions and resolutions of
international organizations. Which decisions and resolutions are
these? These, of course, include four resolutions adopted by the UN
Security Council which demand immediate withdrawal of Armenian
occupying forces from the territories of Azerbaijan. It has been
almost 20 years that they [the resolutions] have not been implemented.
The main thing is restoration of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity,
de-occupation of our lands and [creation] of possibilities for IDPs
and refugees to return to their lands. We hoped that we could resolve
the issue in 2009, at least to reach an agreement on basic principles.
But [these hopes] have not materialized not through our fault.
Therefore, there is some optimism for 2010 due to the fact that the
Nagornyy Karabakh issue is one of the top topics on the international
agenda. It became clear for many, for those who maybe did not
understand, that no regional projects could be implemented without the
settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. We expect that we
will be able to agree on basic positions in 2010 but we are
categorically against this becoming a permanent process in the
negotiations. The negotiations have been held since 1992 when the OSCE
Minsk Group was established. Ceasefire agreement was reached in 1994.
Fifteen years has passed. There is progress but no result. Therefore,
we cannot allow this process to become a frozen one.
[translated from Russian]
Dec 24 2009
Azeri leader says progress but no result in Karabakh talks
[Presenter] The information and telecommunications sector is
developing fast. Azerbaijan intends to launch its first orbital
satellite in two years, President Ilham Aliyev has told [Russia's]
Vesti TV channel. The head of state answered questions about economic
achievements in 2009, Azerbaijan's energy projects and prospects.
Highly assessing the relations between Azerbaijan and Russia, the head
of state also talked about the settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh
problem. [Aliyev, in Russian] From the point of view of the settlement
[of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict] I would describe this year as
positive but less positive than it could have been. Because back in
2008 the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan held talks, a
declaration was signed, by the Russian side as well, a joint
declaration on ways of settling the conflict. It [the declaration]
clearly said that the conflict should be resolved on the basis of
international norms and principles, decisions and resolutions of
international organizations. Which decisions and resolutions are
these? These, of course, include four resolutions adopted by the UN
Security Council which demand immediate withdrawal of Armenian
occupying forces from the territories of Azerbaijan. It has been
almost 20 years that they [the resolutions] have not been implemented.
The main thing is restoration of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity,
de-occupation of our lands and [creation] of possibilities for IDPs
and refugees to return to their lands. We hoped that we could resolve
the issue in 2009, at least to reach an agreement on basic principles.
But [these hopes] have not materialized not through our fault.
Therefore, there is some optimism for 2010 due to the fact that the
Nagornyy Karabakh issue is one of the top topics on the international
agenda. It became clear for many, for those who maybe did not
understand, that no regional projects could be implemented without the
settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. We expect that we
will be able to agree on basic positions in 2010 but we are
categorically against this becoming a permanent process in the
negotiations. The negotiations have been held since 1992 when the OSCE
Minsk Group was established. Ceasefire agreement was reached in 1994.
Fifteen years has passed. There is progress but no result. Therefore,
we cannot allow this process to become a frozen one.
[translated from Russian]