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RUSSIA-ARMENIA-AZERBAIJAN TOP-LEVEL MEETINGS ON KARABAKH PROVE EFFECTIVE -FM NALBANDYAN
ITAR-TASS
January 16, 2012 Monday 08:36 PM GMT+4
Russia
The format of trilateral meetings between the presidents of Russia,
Armenia and Azerbaijan on Nagorno-Karabakh has proved viable and
effective, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan said.
"I think, actually I am confident that meetings in this format will
continue," he said on Monday, January 16.
According to the minister, "the agreement on a new trilateral meeting
has been reached. Its place and time will be announced in due time
as the sides deem necessary," he said.
"The year 2011 confirmed that as far as the Karabakh settlement is
concerned the position of Armenia is in harmony with that of the
international community,": Nalbandyan said.
The Russian president hosted a meeting of the Armenia and Azerbaijani
leaders in Sochi on March 5, 2011, where they agreed to try to solve
all questions peacefully and investigate incidents on the ceasefire
line with the participation of representatives of the parties involved.
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan earlier reiterated Armenia's
commitment to a speedy resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
on the basis of international law and join statements of the Minsk
Group co-chairmen.
"We firmly believe that a new war cannot resolve the conflict,"
Sargsyan said.
In his opinion, "confrontation will only lead to destabilisation,
provoke tensions and arms race, and further aggravate interstate
contradictions, foment ethnic and religious strife, and threatens
the security of other countries."
"Over the last several years the leaders of the OSCE Minsk Group have
been taking active steps in order to assist the parties in finding
peaceful solutions to the conflict," the president said.
"We are thankful to the co-chairing countries, the leaders of Russia,
France and the United States for their mediating efforts," he said.
Sargsyan said earlier that his country would do everything it can to
resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh issue peacefully.
"We will do everything we can to solve the Karabakh problem
peacefully," the president said.
"The [settlement] process is underway, and we are acting constructively
in this process," Sargsyan said.
He said that allegations about international pressure on Armenia were
"an exaggeration".
"The co-chairing countries [in the OSCE Minsk Group] are seeking
to harmonise the positions of all conflicting parties - Armenia,
Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan," the president said. "This process
has proved difficult, but that's how it should be - we have never
expected an easy solution."
"We will do our best to find a fair solution," Sargsyan said. "The
stronger we are, the more combat capable our army is, the better our
positions at the talks will be," he said.
However Azerbaijani President Ilkham Aliyev said that the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict could be resolved only if the territorial
integrity of his country was ensured.
"The conflict can be resolved only with in the framework of the
territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. There is no other solution,
and I have no doubts that Azerbaijan will restore its territorial
integrity," the head of state said.
He stressed that Azerbaijan was seeking to solve the issue
"peacefully".
"We hope for a peaceful resolution yet. To this end, the Armenian side
should unconditionally comply with the resolutions of international
organisations, including the U.N. Security Council, free the occupied
territories, and Azerbaijani citizens should return to their homes.
After that peace and stability will come to the region," Aliyev said.
He said the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was the "biggest source of
threat" in the region.
Azerbaijan and its people "will never allow a second Armenian state
to be created on their historical land", he said.
"Nagorno-Karabakh will never get independence. The people who live
in Nagorno-Karabakh now, and the Azeris will certainly return there
should live in autonomy. This is a well known international approach,"
the president said.
He made it clear that Azerbaijan would "never step aside from its
position of principle".
"The Karabakh conflict is a real threat to the region," the president
said.
The head of state called for a speedy and fair settlement in Karabakh
on the basis of international law. "We understand that major states
want the region to live in peace and stability, without war. We want
that too. But this does not mean that the conflict should remain
frozen," he said.
Aliyev said he was hoping "positive tendencies" in the negotiations.
The president said earlier that the Karabakh talks were in "a crucial
stage".
"Negotiations over the past five to six years have led to the drafting
of proposals on the settlement, which were officially presented to
the parties to the conflict by international mediators - co-chairmen
of the OSCE Minsk Group. These proposals are balanced and can lead
to a peaceful settlement of the problem within the framework of
Azerbaijan's territorial integrity," Aliyev said.
Speaking of the final status of Nagorno-Karabakh, he said it was
"a matter of the future".
"We have said many times that we will never agree to any status for
Nagorno-Karabakh outside Azerbaijan, and international law supports
our positions," the president said.
Aliyev urged Armenia to continue peace talks on Nagorno-Karabakh.
ITAR-TASS
January 16, 2012 Monday 08:36 PM GMT+4
Russia
The format of trilateral meetings between the presidents of Russia,
Armenia and Azerbaijan on Nagorno-Karabakh has proved viable and
effective, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan said.
"I think, actually I am confident that meetings in this format will
continue," he said on Monday, January 16.
According to the minister, "the agreement on a new trilateral meeting
has been reached. Its place and time will be announced in due time
as the sides deem necessary," he said.
"The year 2011 confirmed that as far as the Karabakh settlement is
concerned the position of Armenia is in harmony with that of the
international community,": Nalbandyan said.
The Russian president hosted a meeting of the Armenia and Azerbaijani
leaders in Sochi on March 5, 2011, where they agreed to try to solve
all questions peacefully and investigate incidents on the ceasefire
line with the participation of representatives of the parties involved.
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan earlier reiterated Armenia's
commitment to a speedy resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
on the basis of international law and join statements of the Minsk
Group co-chairmen.
"We firmly believe that a new war cannot resolve the conflict,"
Sargsyan said.
In his opinion, "confrontation will only lead to destabilisation,
provoke tensions and arms race, and further aggravate interstate
contradictions, foment ethnic and religious strife, and threatens
the security of other countries."
"Over the last several years the leaders of the OSCE Minsk Group have
been taking active steps in order to assist the parties in finding
peaceful solutions to the conflict," the president said.
"We are thankful to the co-chairing countries, the leaders of Russia,
France and the United States for their mediating efforts," he said.
Sargsyan said earlier that his country would do everything it can to
resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh issue peacefully.
"We will do everything we can to solve the Karabakh problem
peacefully," the president said.
"The [settlement] process is underway, and we are acting constructively
in this process," Sargsyan said.
He said that allegations about international pressure on Armenia were
"an exaggeration".
"The co-chairing countries [in the OSCE Minsk Group] are seeking
to harmonise the positions of all conflicting parties - Armenia,
Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan," the president said. "This process
has proved difficult, but that's how it should be - we have never
expected an easy solution."
"We will do our best to find a fair solution," Sargsyan said. "The
stronger we are, the more combat capable our army is, the better our
positions at the talks will be," he said.
However Azerbaijani President Ilkham Aliyev said that the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict could be resolved only if the territorial
integrity of his country was ensured.
"The conflict can be resolved only with in the framework of the
territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. There is no other solution,
and I have no doubts that Azerbaijan will restore its territorial
integrity," the head of state said.
He stressed that Azerbaijan was seeking to solve the issue
"peacefully".
"We hope for a peaceful resolution yet. To this end, the Armenian side
should unconditionally comply with the resolutions of international
organisations, including the U.N. Security Council, free the occupied
territories, and Azerbaijani citizens should return to their homes.
After that peace and stability will come to the region," Aliyev said.
He said the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was the "biggest source of
threat" in the region.
Azerbaijan and its people "will never allow a second Armenian state
to be created on their historical land", he said.
"Nagorno-Karabakh will never get independence. The people who live
in Nagorno-Karabakh now, and the Azeris will certainly return there
should live in autonomy. This is a well known international approach,"
the president said.
He made it clear that Azerbaijan would "never step aside from its
position of principle".
"The Karabakh conflict is a real threat to the region," the president
said.
The head of state called for a speedy and fair settlement in Karabakh
on the basis of international law. "We understand that major states
want the region to live in peace and stability, without war. We want
that too. But this does not mean that the conflict should remain
frozen," he said.
Aliyev said he was hoping "positive tendencies" in the negotiations.
The president said earlier that the Karabakh talks were in "a crucial
stage".
"Negotiations over the past five to six years have led to the drafting
of proposals on the settlement, which were officially presented to
the parties to the conflict by international mediators - co-chairmen
of the OSCE Minsk Group. These proposals are balanced and can lead
to a peaceful settlement of the problem within the framework of
Azerbaijan's territorial integrity," Aliyev said.
Speaking of the final status of Nagorno-Karabakh, he said it was
"a matter of the future".
"We have said many times that we will never agree to any status for
Nagorno-Karabakh outside Azerbaijan, and international law supports
our positions," the president said.
Aliyev urged Armenia to continue peace talks on Nagorno-Karabakh.