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WPS Agency, Russia
What the Papers Say (Russia)
June 24, 2010 Thursday
BAKU IS TALKING WAR AGAIN;
Azerbaijan's war spendings alone exceed all of the Armenian state budget
by Sokhbet Mamedov, Svetlana Gamova
HIGHLIGHT: NAGORNO-KARABAKH IS IN THE FOCUS OF INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION
AGAIN; Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan made statements that
demonstrate diametric nature of their approaches to Karabakh conflict
resolution process.
Political statements made by national leaders followed a series of
skirmishes along the line-of-contact.
"Karabakh is ancestral Azerbaijani land. I have no doubts whatsoever
that it will be liberated sooner or later," said Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliyev addressing the 35th annual meeting of the Islamic Bank of
Development in Baku. Aliyev called occupation of Karabakh and seven
districts along its perimeter "Azerbaijan's worst problem in all the
years of sovereignty".
"Respect for territorial integrity of Azerbaijan is the only possible
solution," said Aliyev and made references to the decisions made by
the UN, OSCE, and Council of Europe. According to the Azerbaijani
leader, however, Armenia was paying them lip service and retaining
presence on the occupied territories.
Press service of the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry makes daily reports
on Armenian provocations and attacks successfully repelled by the
gallant defenders. A major clash occurred on June 19 night, when four
Armenian servicemen bought the farm and four others sustained wounds
of varying severity. The Azerbaijani regular army lost one man that
night.
Commenting on this episode, Defense Ministry's Press Secretary Eldar
Sobiroglu called it an Armenian provocation. Sobiroglu added that
Armenia's latest actions plainly showed its lack of interest in a
peaceful resolution of the conflict over Karabakh. He even suggested
that endless skirmishes along the line-of-contact might foment an
actual war in the region. "We logged 101 cease-fire violation on the
part of the Armenian Armed Forces over the last month," said
Sobiroglu.
"I'd like to point out as well that up to 70% of all the Armenians
drafted into the regular army end up on the occupied territories. What
information we have compiled plainly shows that most servicemen killed
and wounded on June 19 were Armenian nationals. All these facts only
confirm that it is Armenia that is waging an invasive war on
Azerbaijan."
Disturbed by the wanton use of force resulting in deaths, OSCE Minsk
Group co-chairmen Igor Popov (Russia), Bernard Fassier (France), and
Robert Bradtke (United States) made a joint statement. They pointed
out that the June 19 incident had taken place right after the meeting
between the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan in St.Petersburg
brokered by their Russian counterpart. "The use of force at this point
might be regarded as a deliberate attempt to circumvent the peace
process," said co-chairmen.
Kanat Saudabayev, OSCE Chairman-in-Office and Kazakh Foreign Minister,
called for peace in the region.
Azerbaijani analysts believe that the latest incidents ought to serve
as a warning to Armenia and foreign intermediaries: the
Azerbaijani-Armenian conflict is anything but latent, outbreak of the
war is a distinct possibility.
Political scientist Rasim Musabekov commented that official Baku
remained a negotiating party for the time being but some of its
actions made it clear that the previous warnings that the course of
events might leave Azerbaijan no options other than going to war, had
been more than just rhetorics.
"Notwithstanding the recommendations made by the Western countries,
the Milli Mejlis [national parliament actually emphasized it in the
recently adopted military doctrine. Moreover, the parliament boosted
war expenses right on the eve of the meeting in St.Petersburg. It
follows that Azerbaijan's defense spendings will amount to $2 billion
this year which is more than all of the state budget of Armenia," said
Musabekov.
President of Armenia Serj Sargsjan in the meantime announced that the
process of conflict resolution was impeded by incertitude with regard
to certain issues on the part of the international community.
"Progress is impaired by unclear position of a good deal of
structures, European structures included, with their fears to disrupt
the talks."
As for the June 19 incident, the Armenians say that Azerbaijani scouts
penetrated environs of the village of Chailu on the territory of the
self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic where they were sighted and
challenged by local sentries.
Iranian Ambassador to Armenia Seyed Ali Saghaeyan said in Yerevan that
Iran would put up with no American peacekeepers in the Karabakh
conflict area. The diplomat said that American servicemen might be
posted in the vicinity of the town of Fizuli. "As matters stand, Iran
is the only country located next door to the conflict area. We are
determined to defend our national security," said the ambassador.
Source: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, No 126, June 24, 2010, p. 5
From: A. Papazian
What the Papers Say (Russia)
June 24, 2010 Thursday
BAKU IS TALKING WAR AGAIN;
Azerbaijan's war spendings alone exceed all of the Armenian state budget
by Sokhbet Mamedov, Svetlana Gamova
HIGHLIGHT: NAGORNO-KARABAKH IS IN THE FOCUS OF INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION
AGAIN; Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan made statements that
demonstrate diametric nature of their approaches to Karabakh conflict
resolution process.
Political statements made by national leaders followed a series of
skirmishes along the line-of-contact.
"Karabakh is ancestral Azerbaijani land. I have no doubts whatsoever
that it will be liberated sooner or later," said Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliyev addressing the 35th annual meeting of the Islamic Bank of
Development in Baku. Aliyev called occupation of Karabakh and seven
districts along its perimeter "Azerbaijan's worst problem in all the
years of sovereignty".
"Respect for territorial integrity of Azerbaijan is the only possible
solution," said Aliyev and made references to the decisions made by
the UN, OSCE, and Council of Europe. According to the Azerbaijani
leader, however, Armenia was paying them lip service and retaining
presence on the occupied territories.
Press service of the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry makes daily reports
on Armenian provocations and attacks successfully repelled by the
gallant defenders. A major clash occurred on June 19 night, when four
Armenian servicemen bought the farm and four others sustained wounds
of varying severity. The Azerbaijani regular army lost one man that
night.
Commenting on this episode, Defense Ministry's Press Secretary Eldar
Sobiroglu called it an Armenian provocation. Sobiroglu added that
Armenia's latest actions plainly showed its lack of interest in a
peaceful resolution of the conflict over Karabakh. He even suggested
that endless skirmishes along the line-of-contact might foment an
actual war in the region. "We logged 101 cease-fire violation on the
part of the Armenian Armed Forces over the last month," said
Sobiroglu.
"I'd like to point out as well that up to 70% of all the Armenians
drafted into the regular army end up on the occupied territories. What
information we have compiled plainly shows that most servicemen killed
and wounded on June 19 were Armenian nationals. All these facts only
confirm that it is Armenia that is waging an invasive war on
Azerbaijan."
Disturbed by the wanton use of force resulting in deaths, OSCE Minsk
Group co-chairmen Igor Popov (Russia), Bernard Fassier (France), and
Robert Bradtke (United States) made a joint statement. They pointed
out that the June 19 incident had taken place right after the meeting
between the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan in St.Petersburg
brokered by their Russian counterpart. "The use of force at this point
might be regarded as a deliberate attempt to circumvent the peace
process," said co-chairmen.
Kanat Saudabayev, OSCE Chairman-in-Office and Kazakh Foreign Minister,
called for peace in the region.
Azerbaijani analysts believe that the latest incidents ought to serve
as a warning to Armenia and foreign intermediaries: the
Azerbaijani-Armenian conflict is anything but latent, outbreak of the
war is a distinct possibility.
Political scientist Rasim Musabekov commented that official Baku
remained a negotiating party for the time being but some of its
actions made it clear that the previous warnings that the course of
events might leave Azerbaijan no options other than going to war, had
been more than just rhetorics.
"Notwithstanding the recommendations made by the Western countries,
the Milli Mejlis [national parliament actually emphasized it in the
recently adopted military doctrine. Moreover, the parliament boosted
war expenses right on the eve of the meeting in St.Petersburg. It
follows that Azerbaijan's defense spendings will amount to $2 billion
this year which is more than all of the state budget of Armenia," said
Musabekov.
President of Armenia Serj Sargsjan in the meantime announced that the
process of conflict resolution was impeded by incertitude with regard
to certain issues on the part of the international community.
"Progress is impaired by unclear position of a good deal of
structures, European structures included, with their fears to disrupt
the talks."
As for the June 19 incident, the Armenians say that Azerbaijani scouts
penetrated environs of the village of Chailu on the territory of the
self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic where they were sighted and
challenged by local sentries.
Iranian Ambassador to Armenia Seyed Ali Saghaeyan said in Yerevan that
Iran would put up with no American peacekeepers in the Karabakh
conflict area. The diplomat said that American servicemen might be
posted in the vicinity of the town of Fizuli. "As matters stand, Iran
is the only country located next door to the conflict area. We are
determined to defend our national security," said the ambassador.
Source: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, No 126, June 24, 2010, p. 5
From: A. Papazian