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Yerevan Decries Azeri Push For Muslim Support On Karabakh

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  • Yerevan Decries Azeri Push For Muslim Support On Karabakh

    YEREVAN DECRIES AZERI PUSH FOR MUSLIM SUPPORT ON KARABAKH
    Ruzanna Stepanian

    Armenialiberty.org
    http://www.azatutyun.am/content/article/24417280.html
    Dec 9 2011

    President Serzh Sarkisian strongly criticized Azerbaijan on Friday
    for mobilizing Muslim countries to support its position on the
    Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

    "I pointed out that Azerbaijan is stubbornly trying to present the
    conflict in the light of religious disagreements within the framework
    of Islamic countries," he said after talks with Lebanon's visiting
    President Michel Suleiman. "I think that in case of more or less
    knowing the history of the Armenian people and the cause of the
    [Karabakh] conflict it's impossible to trust in such an approach."

    "Nevertheless, we find that approach extremely dangerous because there
    are also circles unfamiliar with those details and such anti-Armenian
    propaganda may not end up without consequences," Sarkisian told a
    joint news conference.

    Sarkisian appeared to refer to pro-Azerbaijani statements repeatedly
    issued by Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) that unites 57
    countries with predominantly Muslim populations, including Lebanon.

    Many of them also voted in 2008 for a UN General Assembly resolution
    that demanded the "immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal
    of Armenian forces" from occupied Azerbaijani lands.

    The Karabakh dispute is also the reason why at least two of those
    countries, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, refuse to even recognize Armenia
    as an independent state.

    Earlier this year, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev again commended
    Islamic states for lending unconditional support to Baku. He also
    called for greater "Islamic solidarity" and a "higher level of mutual
    support" in the international arena.

    Sarkisian condemned this stance as "nonsense." "On this issue the
    impartial and unbiased stance of friendly states is also important
    because any reckless step helps to undermine the shaky regional
    stability," he said in clear reference to Lebanon, an Arab country
    with a sizable and influential Armenian community.

    Suleiman, who is a Maronite Christian, stressed that Lebanon has
    never supported OIC statements on Karabakh. Moreover, he said the
    Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict should be resolved on the basis of the
    principle of people's self-determination.

    Suleiman further thanked Yerevan for supporting his country in the
    conflict with Israel.

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