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AZERBAIJAN UPBEAT ON WITHDRAWAL OF ARMENIAN TROOPS
news.az
Sept 1 2011
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan will achieve the withdrawal of Armenian troops from its
occupied lands "sooner or later", Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov
has said.
"We have good relations with all our neighbours except Armenia. But I
am sure that sooner or later we will achieve the withdrawal of Armenian
troops from the occupied Azerbaijani lands. The sooner it happens,
the better for all," Mammadyarov said at a joint press conference
with his Serbian counterpart, Vuk Jeremic.
"It would promote the overall development of the region and the
establishment of peace and stability and also create opportunities
for joint projects between Azerbaijan and Armenia," he continued.
Mammadyarov talked positively about the meetings of the Armenian and
Azerbaijani presidents, mediated by the Russian president, the last
one of which was held in Kazan on 25 June.
"Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev attempted to make progress through
organizing trilateral meetings of the heads of state but no result
has been achieved. Nonetheless, a huge amount of work has been done
and definite agreements have been achieved."
He denied, however, that another meeting was already agreed.
"The presidents of the two countries have met 10 times ... I have no
information about an initiative of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs to
organize a meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents on 13
September," Mammadyarov said, referring to reports in the Armenian
media that the presidents would meet on the sidelines of the UN
General Assembly.
According to the Armenian media, diplomatic circles see a 13 September
meeting as the last chance to settle the conflict, as domestic politics
in Armenia are expected to become more turbulent in the autumn and
elections are due in the three Minsk Group co-chairing countries -
the USA, Russia and France.
Mammadyarov said that Baku supported the continuation of the
negotiating process on a peaceful resolution of the Karabakh conflict.
"I do not want anyone to spread propaganda that Azerbaijan is rejecting
the talks process. The conflict should be settled stage-by-stage,
on the basis of the Madrid principles," he told the press conference.
The Azerbaijani minister went on to sum up the Madrid principles
for the basis of talks on a settlement: "At the first stage, it is
necessary to withdraw Armenian troops from the occupied lands. This
will create the conditions for the implementation of joint projects
between Azerbaijan and Armenia, as well as regional projects. It will
create the conditions for the restoration of peace and stability in
the region and an end to militaristic statements."
The conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh began in 1988 when Armenia made
claims on the Azerbaijani territory. Later, in a bitter war Armenian
armed forces later occupied a swathe of Azerbaijani territory,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
Despite a ceasefire in 1994, no long-term peace agreement has been
reached.
The nub of the conflict remains unresolved - the competing claims of
territorial integrity, which Azerbaijan insists takes precedence in
the case of Karabakh, and self-determination, which Armenia wants to
see for the Armenians of Karabakh.
From: Baghdasarian
news.az
Sept 1 2011
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan will achieve the withdrawal of Armenian troops from its
occupied lands "sooner or later", Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov
has said.
"We have good relations with all our neighbours except Armenia. But I
am sure that sooner or later we will achieve the withdrawal of Armenian
troops from the occupied Azerbaijani lands. The sooner it happens,
the better for all," Mammadyarov said at a joint press conference
with his Serbian counterpart, Vuk Jeremic.
"It would promote the overall development of the region and the
establishment of peace and stability and also create opportunities
for joint projects between Azerbaijan and Armenia," he continued.
Mammadyarov talked positively about the meetings of the Armenian and
Azerbaijani presidents, mediated by the Russian president, the last
one of which was held in Kazan on 25 June.
"Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev attempted to make progress through
organizing trilateral meetings of the heads of state but no result
has been achieved. Nonetheless, a huge amount of work has been done
and definite agreements have been achieved."
He denied, however, that another meeting was already agreed.
"The presidents of the two countries have met 10 times ... I have no
information about an initiative of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs to
organize a meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents on 13
September," Mammadyarov said, referring to reports in the Armenian
media that the presidents would meet on the sidelines of the UN
General Assembly.
According to the Armenian media, diplomatic circles see a 13 September
meeting as the last chance to settle the conflict, as domestic politics
in Armenia are expected to become more turbulent in the autumn and
elections are due in the three Minsk Group co-chairing countries -
the USA, Russia and France.
Mammadyarov said that Baku supported the continuation of the
negotiating process on a peaceful resolution of the Karabakh conflict.
"I do not want anyone to spread propaganda that Azerbaijan is rejecting
the talks process. The conflict should be settled stage-by-stage,
on the basis of the Madrid principles," he told the press conference.
The Azerbaijani minister went on to sum up the Madrid principles
for the basis of talks on a settlement: "At the first stage, it is
necessary to withdraw Armenian troops from the occupied lands. This
will create the conditions for the implementation of joint projects
between Azerbaijan and Armenia, as well as regional projects. It will
create the conditions for the restoration of peace and stability in
the region and an end to militaristic statements."
The conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh began in 1988 when Armenia made
claims on the Azerbaijani territory. Later, in a bitter war Armenian
armed forces later occupied a swathe of Azerbaijani territory,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
Despite a ceasefire in 1994, no long-term peace agreement has been
reached.
The nub of the conflict remains unresolved - the competing claims of
territorial integrity, which Azerbaijan insists takes precedence in
the case of Karabakh, and self-determination, which Armenia wants to
see for the Armenians of Karabakh.
From: Baghdasarian