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AZERBAIJAN MAY ALSO OPEN BORDERS WITH ARMENIA
Today's Zaman
Sept 9 2009
Turkey
Azerbaijan is ready to open its border with Armenia and establish
formal relations if Yerevan returns five occupied regions adjacent
to disputed Nagorno-Karabakh, an Azerbaijani official has said.
Azerbaijan Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Elkhan Polukhov
told Today's Zaman on Tuesday that Azerbaijan may consider opening its
borders with Armenia in case of a breakthrough in the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict.
"It has been said in earlier statements from Azerbaijani officials that
Azerbaijan is ready to open borders and restore dialogue with Armenia
if the first stage of a plan to resolve the conflict is implemented,"
he said.
Explaining Azerbaijan's firm position on what it means as the first
stage, Polukhov said it would involve the return of five regions
adjacent to Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory heavily populated by ethnic
Armenians, without conditions and a certain date set for the return of
two neighboring cities, Kelbecer and Lachin. These two towns constitute
a corridor for Nagorno-Karabakh's Armenians to mainland Armenia and
are of great significance for a possible unification with Armenia.
Azerbaijan, a close ally of Turkey and a key natural gas supplier
for the proposed Nabucco project destined to reach Europe, earlier
criticized Turkey's own plans to open its border with Armenia,
closed in 1993 in a show of solidarity with Azerbaijan in its war
with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh.
Commenting on the Turkish-Armenian rapprochement, the spokesperson
said Azerbaijan had clearly stated its position that the opening of
borders between Turkey and Armenia is not in line with the national
interest of Azerbaijan at this point. During his visit to Baku in
mid-May, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated that
the borders would not open unless there were a breakthrough in the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Talking about further steps, Polukhov also said that after these
developments, there will be negotiations on the return of internally
displaced persons (IDPs) to the occupied regions. When these
conditions are met, "Both railways and highways between the two
countries will be operational," the spokesperson said. Azerbaijan
has nearly half a million IDPs and refugees who fled from Armenia
and Nagorno-Karabakh during the clashes with Armenians. However, as
they are granted citizenship, they are no longer regarded as IDPs or
refugees. There are several hundred thousand Armenians who fled to
Armenia from Azerbaijan during the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Polukhov said it is too early to discuss the mandate and structure of
peacekeeping forces in returned lands. Armenia and Azerbaijan fought
a full-scale war over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh in
the early 1990s. The Armenian side claims that Nagorno-Karabakh's
Armenians were deprived of their basic rights under Azerbaijani rule
throughout the century and the region either needs to be annexed to
Armenia or be independent. The Azerbaijani side, however, argues that
the solution to Nagorno-Karabakh's problems should be found within
Azerbaijan's territorial integrity. Azerbaijan agrees to grant a high
level of autonomy to Nagorno-Karabakh's Armenians.
US appoints new co-chair to Minsk Group Meanwhile, the US announced
it has appointed Ambassador Robert Bradtke as the next US co-chair
of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's (OSCE)
Minsk Group, a group of international mediators working for the
resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem.
Bradtke, a career diplomat with 36 years of experience, last served
as the US ambassador to Croatia. In July, he completed a three-year
assignment as chief of mission at the US Embassy in Zagreb. Prior
to that, he served from 2001 to 2004 as deputy assistant secretary
of state for European and Eurasian affairs, with responsibility for
NATO and the OSCE.
"The United States understands the critical importance of achieving
a peaceful resolution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," said Ian
Kelly, spokesman for the US State Department in a statement issued
on Monday. He said Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has indicated
to the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan "her strong interest in
the Minsk Group's ongoing efforts to bring the process to a fruitful
conclusion" and that "the Obama administration is committed to doing
everything possible to support this goal."
Today's Zaman
Sept 9 2009
Turkey
Azerbaijan is ready to open its border with Armenia and establish
formal relations if Yerevan returns five occupied regions adjacent
to disputed Nagorno-Karabakh, an Azerbaijani official has said.
Azerbaijan Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Elkhan Polukhov
told Today's Zaman on Tuesday that Azerbaijan may consider opening its
borders with Armenia in case of a breakthrough in the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict.
"It has been said in earlier statements from Azerbaijani officials that
Azerbaijan is ready to open borders and restore dialogue with Armenia
if the first stage of a plan to resolve the conflict is implemented,"
he said.
Explaining Azerbaijan's firm position on what it means as the first
stage, Polukhov said it would involve the return of five regions
adjacent to Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory heavily populated by ethnic
Armenians, without conditions and a certain date set for the return of
two neighboring cities, Kelbecer and Lachin. These two towns constitute
a corridor for Nagorno-Karabakh's Armenians to mainland Armenia and
are of great significance for a possible unification with Armenia.
Azerbaijan, a close ally of Turkey and a key natural gas supplier
for the proposed Nabucco project destined to reach Europe, earlier
criticized Turkey's own plans to open its border with Armenia,
closed in 1993 in a show of solidarity with Azerbaijan in its war
with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh.
Commenting on the Turkish-Armenian rapprochement, the spokesperson
said Azerbaijan had clearly stated its position that the opening of
borders between Turkey and Armenia is not in line with the national
interest of Azerbaijan at this point. During his visit to Baku in
mid-May, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated that
the borders would not open unless there were a breakthrough in the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Talking about further steps, Polukhov also said that after these
developments, there will be negotiations on the return of internally
displaced persons (IDPs) to the occupied regions. When these
conditions are met, "Both railways and highways between the two
countries will be operational," the spokesperson said. Azerbaijan
has nearly half a million IDPs and refugees who fled from Armenia
and Nagorno-Karabakh during the clashes with Armenians. However, as
they are granted citizenship, they are no longer regarded as IDPs or
refugees. There are several hundred thousand Armenians who fled to
Armenia from Azerbaijan during the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Polukhov said it is too early to discuss the mandate and structure of
peacekeeping forces in returned lands. Armenia and Azerbaijan fought
a full-scale war over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh in
the early 1990s. The Armenian side claims that Nagorno-Karabakh's
Armenians were deprived of their basic rights under Azerbaijani rule
throughout the century and the region either needs to be annexed to
Armenia or be independent. The Azerbaijani side, however, argues that
the solution to Nagorno-Karabakh's problems should be found within
Azerbaijan's territorial integrity. Azerbaijan agrees to grant a high
level of autonomy to Nagorno-Karabakh's Armenians.
US appoints new co-chair to Minsk Group Meanwhile, the US announced
it has appointed Ambassador Robert Bradtke as the next US co-chair
of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's (OSCE)
Minsk Group, a group of international mediators working for the
resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem.
Bradtke, a career diplomat with 36 years of experience, last served
as the US ambassador to Croatia. In July, he completed a three-year
assignment as chief of mission at the US Embassy in Zagreb. Prior
to that, he served from 2001 to 2004 as deputy assistant secretary
of state for European and Eurasian affairs, with responsibility for
NATO and the OSCE.
"The United States understands the critical importance of achieving
a peaceful resolution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," said Ian
Kelly, spokesman for the US State Department in a statement issued
on Monday. He said Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has indicated
to the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan "her strong interest in
the Minsk Group's ongoing efforts to bring the process to a fruitful
conclusion" and that "the Obama administration is committed to doing
everything possible to support this goal."