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BAKU 'ACCEPTS' FIVE-YEAR DEADLINE FOR RETURN OF KELBAJAR, LACHIN
news.az
July 15 2010
Azerbaijan
Elmar Mammadyarov Elmar Mammadyarov has repeated that Armenia's
withdrawal from the districts of Kelbajar and Lachin will be discussed
with his Armenian counterpart.
He was speaking at a joint press conference in Baku today with
Portuguese Foreign Minister Luis Amado.
Mammadyarov said that the return of Kelbajar and Lachin districts
was covered in the updated Madrid principles, put forward by the OSCE
mediators as a basis for negotiations.
The two districts are especially sensitive as they lie between the
disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia.
"The updated Madrid principles envision the return of Kelbajar and
Lachin districts to Azerbaijan within five years. This was proposed by
the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs. During the talks when Kocharyan was
president, Armenia suggested a 10-year term for the return of these
two districts, while Azerbaijan insisted on one year. When Sargsyan
came to power in Armenia, Yerevan's new position was seven years,
while Baku insisted on three years," Mammadyarov said.
"As a result, the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs proposed a five-year
term for the return of Kelbajar and Lachin districts to Azerbaijan's
administrative control. Azerbaijan accepts this proposal of the OSCE
Minsk Group co-chairs."
Armenia's deputy foreign minister, Shavarsh Kocharyan, on Friday
dismissed any talk of the return of the two districts unless Azerbaijan
agreed to accept the results of a referendum on the status of Karabakh,
another of the proposals in the updated Madrid principles
Mammadyarov was back on the offensive today about Armenia's position
in the talks.
"We find it difficult to hold talks when Yerevan again raises decisions
that have already been coordinated on these two districts.
The return of Kelbajar and Lachin was discussed at the presidential
meeting in St Petersburg, as Russia wishes to reach a breakthrough
in this issue as soon as possible. This topic will be discussed in
Almaty on 16-17 July," Mammadyarov said.
Asked about the peacekeepers who, under the OSCE proposals, are to be
positioned in the Nagorno-Karbakh conflict area once troops have been
withdrawn, Mammadyarov said that the peacekeepers would not be drawn
from neighbouring countries or the Minsk Group co-chairing states,
France, Russia and the USA.
"This decision was taken at the OSCE summit in Budapest," Mammadyarov
said.
He was asked about the return of the body of an Azerbaijani soldier
killed in a clash on the contact line separating Armenian and
Azerbaijani troops on 18 June.
"I believe that we will be able to get the body back with the help of
the International Committee of the Red Cross," he said and expressed
surprise that the Armenian side should have kept the body for so long.
From: A. Papazian
news.az
July 15 2010
Azerbaijan
Elmar Mammadyarov Elmar Mammadyarov has repeated that Armenia's
withdrawal from the districts of Kelbajar and Lachin will be discussed
with his Armenian counterpart.
He was speaking at a joint press conference in Baku today with
Portuguese Foreign Minister Luis Amado.
Mammadyarov said that the return of Kelbajar and Lachin districts
was covered in the updated Madrid principles, put forward by the OSCE
mediators as a basis for negotiations.
The two districts are especially sensitive as they lie between the
disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia.
"The updated Madrid principles envision the return of Kelbajar and
Lachin districts to Azerbaijan within five years. This was proposed by
the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs. During the talks when Kocharyan was
president, Armenia suggested a 10-year term for the return of these
two districts, while Azerbaijan insisted on one year. When Sargsyan
came to power in Armenia, Yerevan's new position was seven years,
while Baku insisted on three years," Mammadyarov said.
"As a result, the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs proposed a five-year
term for the return of Kelbajar and Lachin districts to Azerbaijan's
administrative control. Azerbaijan accepts this proposal of the OSCE
Minsk Group co-chairs."
Armenia's deputy foreign minister, Shavarsh Kocharyan, on Friday
dismissed any talk of the return of the two districts unless Azerbaijan
agreed to accept the results of a referendum on the status of Karabakh,
another of the proposals in the updated Madrid principles
Mammadyarov was back on the offensive today about Armenia's position
in the talks.
"We find it difficult to hold talks when Yerevan again raises decisions
that have already been coordinated on these two districts.
The return of Kelbajar and Lachin was discussed at the presidential
meeting in St Petersburg, as Russia wishes to reach a breakthrough
in this issue as soon as possible. This topic will be discussed in
Almaty on 16-17 July," Mammadyarov said.
Asked about the peacekeepers who, under the OSCE proposals, are to be
positioned in the Nagorno-Karbakh conflict area once troops have been
withdrawn, Mammadyarov said that the peacekeepers would not be drawn
from neighbouring countries or the Minsk Group co-chairing states,
France, Russia and the USA.
"This decision was taken at the OSCE summit in Budapest," Mammadyarov
said.
He was asked about the return of the body of an Azerbaijani soldier
killed in a clash on the contact line separating Armenian and
Azerbaijani troops on 18 June.
"I believe that we will be able to get the body back with the help of
the International Committee of the Red Cross," he said and expressed
surprise that the Armenian side should have kept the body for so long.
From: A. Papazian