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BAKU READY TO START WORK ON PEACEFUL RESOLUTION OF KARABAKH CONFLICT
news.az
July 13 2011
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan proposes Armenia to begin work on a peace agreement on
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict without further delay.
'I believe that some progress has been made, and we can safely go to
a peace agreement,' Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov
said in Baku.
Asked when Baku was ready to begin negotiations on a peace agreement
with Armenia, the minister said: "Right today."
"Many media outlets write that the meeting in Kazan was not successful,
but I do not agree with this," Mammadyarov said referring to the
Kazan meeting of presidents of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia held
on 24 June.
"I agree rather with the position that, firstly, as also reflected
in the statement of the presidents, the rapprochement did occur, and,
secondly, we - Azerbaijan and Armenia - should continue negotiations
with no hysterics and work on rapprochement of positions,~T the
minister said.
~SMoreover, Azerbaijan is still in the same position that it were
after Sochi in 2010. We are ready to begin drafting a peace agreement
with the understanding of what has been achieved. Kazan allowed us
to move forward. We understood that there are still uncoordinated
elements, but in any case they should be reflected in the peace
treaty, and if there is actually a free will, then let's work on it
immediately, without waiting for the next phase of negotiations on
basic principles,' Azerbaijani minister noted.
"The basic principles already exist as a base, and there is an
understanding in what direction we are moving in terms of a peaceful
settlement. There are uncoordinated details within the basic principles
and there is no need to triple efforts to harmonize these elements
as they still need to be reflected in the peace agreement. So why
make a fuss? Let~Rs work towards a peace agreement, and show the
world our political will that we are ready to work immediately on a
legally binding peace agreement, rather than on a political document,"
Mammadyarov added.
Mammadyarov also believes that the Russian military base in Gyumri
(Armenia) will not be used against Azerbaijan.
"We have quite high military-political cooperation with Russia,
too. I do not think that the Russian military base in Gyumri will
take some anti-Azerbaijani actions that are contrary to the level
of relations between Azerbaijan and Russia," Mammadyarov said in an
interview with Interfax.
Commenting on development of relations between Russia and Armenia in
the sphere of security, the Foreign Minister noted that Azerbaijan
does not interfere "in Moscow's relations with its outpost."
"Therefore, it is up to Russia to decide how to strengthens and
keep its outpost. On the other hand, we certainly would like more
transparency and openness of decisions so that things will be more
predictable and so that everyone decides what position it takes,"
Mammadyarov noted.
Gabala radar
Baku is holding talks with Moscow to reschedule Russia's Gabala radar
station lease, the foreign minister continued.
"Yes, negotiations are underway. The issue is being discussed."
In any case, it was necessary to extend the document on lease of the
station or revise it in accordance with the existing agreement on the
Gabala radar station. "That is, life itself pushes us to reconsider
the terms of the contract," the foreign minister stated.
"At one time, when we just started to discuss it, and even before it,
the Russian side came up with the initiative for Azerbaijan to give
consent to use this station by Russia and the United States. And,
naturally, we told that it will be our modest, perhaps, but very
important contribution to the nonproliferation regime, and we are
ready to discuss this topic. After several rounds of talks between
Moscow and Washington, both parties informed us about the essence of
the negotiations," said Mammdyarov.
Azerbaijani foreign minister stressed that under current conditions
the Gabala radar station is of great strategic importance "and it
should find an adequate assessment as a strategic facility."
news.az
July 13 2011
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan proposes Armenia to begin work on a peace agreement on
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict without further delay.
'I believe that some progress has been made, and we can safely go to
a peace agreement,' Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov
said in Baku.
Asked when Baku was ready to begin negotiations on a peace agreement
with Armenia, the minister said: "Right today."
"Many media outlets write that the meeting in Kazan was not successful,
but I do not agree with this," Mammadyarov said referring to the
Kazan meeting of presidents of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia held
on 24 June.
"I agree rather with the position that, firstly, as also reflected
in the statement of the presidents, the rapprochement did occur, and,
secondly, we - Azerbaijan and Armenia - should continue negotiations
with no hysterics and work on rapprochement of positions,~T the
minister said.
~SMoreover, Azerbaijan is still in the same position that it were
after Sochi in 2010. We are ready to begin drafting a peace agreement
with the understanding of what has been achieved. Kazan allowed us
to move forward. We understood that there are still uncoordinated
elements, but in any case they should be reflected in the peace
treaty, and if there is actually a free will, then let's work on it
immediately, without waiting for the next phase of negotiations on
basic principles,' Azerbaijani minister noted.
"The basic principles already exist as a base, and there is an
understanding in what direction we are moving in terms of a peaceful
settlement. There are uncoordinated details within the basic principles
and there is no need to triple efforts to harmonize these elements
as they still need to be reflected in the peace agreement. So why
make a fuss? Let~Rs work towards a peace agreement, and show the
world our political will that we are ready to work immediately on a
legally binding peace agreement, rather than on a political document,"
Mammadyarov added.
Mammadyarov also believes that the Russian military base in Gyumri
(Armenia) will not be used against Azerbaijan.
"We have quite high military-political cooperation with Russia,
too. I do not think that the Russian military base in Gyumri will
take some anti-Azerbaijani actions that are contrary to the level
of relations between Azerbaijan and Russia," Mammadyarov said in an
interview with Interfax.
Commenting on development of relations between Russia and Armenia in
the sphere of security, the Foreign Minister noted that Azerbaijan
does not interfere "in Moscow's relations with its outpost."
"Therefore, it is up to Russia to decide how to strengthens and
keep its outpost. On the other hand, we certainly would like more
transparency and openness of decisions so that things will be more
predictable and so that everyone decides what position it takes,"
Mammadyarov noted.
Gabala radar
Baku is holding talks with Moscow to reschedule Russia's Gabala radar
station lease, the foreign minister continued.
"Yes, negotiations are underway. The issue is being discussed."
In any case, it was necessary to extend the document on lease of the
station or revise it in accordance with the existing agreement on the
Gabala radar station. "That is, life itself pushes us to reconsider
the terms of the contract," the foreign minister stated.
"At one time, when we just started to discuss it, and even before it,
the Russian side came up with the initiative for Azerbaijan to give
consent to use this station by Russia and the United States. And,
naturally, we told that it will be our modest, perhaps, but very
important contribution to the nonproliferation regime, and we are
ready to discuss this topic. After several rounds of talks between
Moscow and Washington, both parties informed us about the essence of
the negotiations," said Mammdyarov.
Azerbaijani foreign minister stressed that under current conditions
the Gabala radar station is of great strategic importance "and it
should find an adequate assessment as a strategic facility."