Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

BAKU: Azerbaijan 'Not Satisfied' With USA's Karabakh Mediation

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

  • BAKU: Azerbaijan 'Not Satisfied' With USA's Karabakh Mediation

    AZERBAIJAN 'NOT SATISFIED' WITH USA'S KARABAKH MEDIATION

    news.az
    April 15 2010
    Azerbaijan

    Ali Hasanov A senior Azerbaijani official has accused the USA of
    supporting Armenia and backed Turkey's position on Karabakh.

    Ali Hasanov, head of the public policy department at the presidential
    administration, criticized the US position to journalists on Thursday

    'The United States often takes a unilateral position supporting
    Armenia. We urge the United States to take a neutral position,'
    Hasanov said.

    He referred to the USA's role as one of three countries co-chairing
    the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's Minsk Group
    which is mediating a settlement to the Karabakh conflict.

    'We are not satisfied with US activity within the framework of the
    OSCE Minsk Group. We say this openly. Azerbaijan has repeatedly raised
    the issue of the violation of its rights in Nagorno-Karabakh and its
    territorial integrity. However, unfortunately, some US circles and
    institutions, influenced by the Armenian lobby, often lose neutrality
    and provide open support to Armenia,' Hasanov said.

    He said that recent US actions aimed to help Armenia economically. 'At
    the same time, no one takes into account the occupying policy of
    Armenia in the region and does not try to persuade it to give up
    this policy. US efforts are aimed at getting Armenia out of the tough
    economic situation, and at the same time Washington puts pressure on
    neighbouring countries, including Turkey, demanding the creation of
    political and economic ties with Armenia,' he said.

    According to Hasanov, this does not comply with the United States'
    mission as an OSCE Minsk Group co-chair. 'If the United States wants
    peace in the region, the resolution of the conflict, an improvement
    in the socioeconomic situation in Armenia and its participation in
    transnational projects, they should make Yerevan give up its policy
    of occupation,' he said.

    In contrast, Hasanov expressed satisfaction with Turkey's position on
    Karabakh. He said the Turkish leadership had repeatedly stated and
    continued to insist that unless Armenia withdrew from the occupied
    lands and the Karabakh issue was settled, there would be no close
    cooperation between Yerevan and Ankara and the border between Armenia
    and Turkey would not be opened.

    'We are fully satisfied with Turkey's stance on the Karabakh issue.

    The diplomatic, economic, social and cultural relations within the
    framework of the slogan "One nation-two states" are unique in the
    world and we are not going to spoil them at anyone's instruction.'

    'Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister
    Ahmet Davutoglu indicated at meetings in Washington that the creation
    of normal socioeconomic relations between Turkey and Armenia was not
    possible until the settlement of the Karabakh conflict, diplomatic
    breakthroughs on the Azerbaijani-Armenian front and the withdrawal
    of Armenia's occupying forces from the occupied lands,' Hasanov said.

    'Therefore, we fully support Ankara's policy on this issue,' he said.

    Hasanov's remarks came a day after Azerbaijani President Ilham
    Aliyev accused the international community of indifference towards
    the Armenian occupation of Azerbaijani land.

    'Certainly, when our interests are ignored, the occupation of our lands
    is not taken into account and attempts are made to help the occupying
    country get out of its tough economic state, the Azerbaijani community
    cannot accept this', Aliyev told an expanded session of the Cabinet
    of Ministers on Wednesday.

    On Tuesday US President Barack Obama met Turkish Prime Minister Recep
    Tayyip Erdogan in Washington. According to Turkish diplomatic sources,
    Obama promised Erdogan to spare no effort for the resolution of the
    Karabakh conflict, but no mention of this was made in the official
    White House report of the meeting.
Working...
X