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Azerbaijani Fm Mammadyarov: "We Will Not Accept A Territorial Divisi

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  • Azerbaijani Fm Mammadyarov: "We Will Not Accept A Territorial Divisi

    AZERBAIJANI FM MAMMADYAROV: "WE WILL NOT ACCEPT A TERRITORIAL DIVISION OF AZERBAIJAN"

    http://hetq.am/eng/news/21285/azerbaijani-fm-mammadyarov-%E2%80%9Cwe-will-not-accept-a-territorial-division-of-azerbaijan%E2%80%9D.html
    10:30, December 6, 2012

    The following commentary by Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar
    Mammadyarov appeared in the December 5 edition of The Wall Street
    Journal

    Securing Lasting Peace in the Caucasus

    At the end of this week, the Organization for Security and Cooperation
    in Europe (OSCE) will gather in Dublin for its annual ministerial
    meeting. I remain hopeful that we can achieve real progress on
    resolving some of the outstanding issues facing our region-in
    particular, achieving lasting peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

    Azerbaijan is economically prosperous due to an oil and gas boom,
    but our efforts to build a modern country are handicapped by security
    issues. The broader Caspian region is plagued with tension, which could
    quickly escalate from political problems between neighbors to open
    conflict. The most irritating and damaging issue for my country is with
    neighboring Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh province of Azerbaijan.

    This province belongs to Azerbaijan. Armenian forces have occupied
    Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent Azerbaijani districts since the
    1993 cease-fire that was negotiated by the OSCE. The occupation has
    displaced nearly one million Azeri citizens from their place of origin.

    As a result, our relations with Armenia are practically nonexistent.

    There is also a distinct lack of economic cooperation and trade
    between our two counties.

    Azerbaijan wants peace so that we can continue to grow our economy,
    develop our energy resources and advance our relations with Europe and
    our neighbors. But Armenia also has a stake in peace with Azerbaijan.

    The country is isolated in the region largely because of this
    conflict. It is excluded from all regional infrastructure and energy
    projects, such as the oil and gas pipelines passing from the Caspian
    Sea to Turkey and Europe via Georgia, as well as a new railroad line
    between Azerbaijan and Turkey through Georgia, to be inaugurated
    this year. When we can agree on lasting peace, Armenia could become
    a stakeholder in these regional projects.

    Settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict would benefit Europe as
    well. Azerbaijan is becoming a major energy exporter to Europe, and
    with the new pipeline agreement signed with Turkey, Europe will soon
    receive 10 billion cubic meters of natural gas from Azerbaijan. That
    volume could eventually rise to more than 20 billion cubic meters.

    European economic interests in Azerbaijan and the region extend
    beyond energy. Stability in the Caucasus is now part of Europe's
    internal security. It is no longer a matter of the EU engaging with
    its periphery. Like Yugoslavia in the 1990s, the Caucasus is now part
    of an internal EU security debate.

    One thing should be clear: We will not accept a territorial division
    of Azerbaijan. Our territorial integrity must be respected, as this
    is international law. In 1993, the U.N. Security Council approved
    four relevant resolutions calling for an immediate, complete and
    unconditional withdrawal of Armenian forces from our territory. The
    Armenian military withdrawal must be comprehensive, and it needs to
    take place now.

    Beyond these two conditions, we are flexible and willing to support
    any peace process. We will back it up with a real economic development
    plan for Nagorno-Karabakh, including serious investments.

    We can resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh problem only if there is political
    will on all sides. There certainly is such will on our side.

    Azerbaijan is the biggest proponent of an immediate settlement of
    the conflict, and we stand committed to building a stable economic
    and security environment in our region.

    I suggest we move forward in Dublin and achieve progress on this issue
    beyond what has already been agreed with Armenia and the three OSCE
    co-chairs: France, the U.S. and Russia. After drafting a comprehensive
    peace agreement within a fixed time frame, the OSCE should agree on
    a new Minsk Group meeting to be attended by all parties.

    Peace in the Caucasus would open up new avenues for cooperation and
    regional integration. With peace, we could all progress more quickly
    in our efforts to catch up with the rest of Europe. Dublin is our
    peace opportunity. I urge our Armenian counterparts to seize it,
    together with us.




    From: A. Papazian
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