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Sacramento Bee, CA
Oct 5 2012
Azerbaijani President Aliyev Calls for Nagorno-Karabakh Frozen
Conflict to be Settled
By Azerbaijan Monitor
Published: Friday, Oct. 5, 2012 - 2:35 am
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 5, 2012 -- /PRNewswire/ --
Speaking at the Baku International Humanitarian Forum Thursday,
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said it is time for the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to be settled and that Armenia must follow
the due resolutions of international organisations.
"Time for the conflict settlement has come," Aliyev said at the
opening of the conference. "Armenia must follow the norms of
international law, withdraw its troops from Azerbaijani lands, and
then real peace and stability in the region will come."
He noted that Azerbaijan ranks first in the world in the number of
refugees per capita and said that those who committed atrocities, like
in Khojali in 1992 - where over 600 civilians were killed by Armenian
armed forces - "have not yet faced the condemnation of the world
community."
Nagorno-Karabakh has been a matter of tension between Armenia and
Azerbaijan for the last 20 years, causing around 30.000 deaths so far.
Peace talks by the OSCE's Minsk Group, led by the US, Russia and
France, have achieved little progress in finding a peaceful solution.
Aliyev recalled the non-fulfilment of four resolutions by the UN
Security Council alone, as well as other resolutions in the European
Parliament, OSCE, Council of Europe and Organisation of Islamic
Cooperation.
"Unfortunately, there is no mechanism of execution of these
decisions," Aliyev said, adding that "the trust for them and belief in
their execution is undermined in these conditions."
However, he stressed that any means to change the status quo has to be
done peacefully. "Azerbaijan today is playing a stabilising role in
the region and we do not want violation of stability," he said.
Founded by Aliyev and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Baku
Humanitarian Forum is a global scientific and political platform
discussing the challenges facing humanity in the 21st century. Eleven
Nobel laureates, more than a dozen former heads of state as well as
high-profile figures from the fields of education, science and culture
from 70 countries are attending the two-day forum.
"I do hope that sooner or later there will be a time when the
resolutions of the UN Security Council will have real force," said the
head of the World Stability Observatory, Luis Manuel Fraga, adding
that stability in the Caucasus and Caspian region is key for world
stability.
He praised the strength of the Azerbaijani government, which offers
clear ideas about the future. "Every year I come and see that the
country is progressing," Fraga said. "The poverty has been
significantly reduced over the past 20 years."
Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri, Director General of the Islamic
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ISESCO) stressed
the need for more mutual respect, respect for cultural diversity,
respect for international law and protection of human dignity and
human rights.
"The world is going through difficult times, lots of wars," he said.
"We need wise people to work out how to save humanity from more
disasters and catastrophes."
Former Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said that in light of
the frozen Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the "idea of reinforcing mutual
respect is very encouraging."
He stressed the "very important role" Azerbaijan plays in the European
Union's Eastern Partnership and noted the necessity to "strengthen
further cooperation."
He also called on the European Union to speed up the process for a new
visa regime, "allowing people from this country to move to Europe
freely."
SOURCE Azerbaijan Monitor
http://www.sacbee.com/2012/10/05/4884036/azerbaijani-president-aliyev-calls.html
From: A. Papazian
Oct 5 2012
Azerbaijani President Aliyev Calls for Nagorno-Karabakh Frozen
Conflict to be Settled
By Azerbaijan Monitor
Published: Friday, Oct. 5, 2012 - 2:35 am
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 5, 2012 -- /PRNewswire/ --
Speaking at the Baku International Humanitarian Forum Thursday,
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said it is time for the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to be settled and that Armenia must follow
the due resolutions of international organisations.
"Time for the conflict settlement has come," Aliyev said at the
opening of the conference. "Armenia must follow the norms of
international law, withdraw its troops from Azerbaijani lands, and
then real peace and stability in the region will come."
He noted that Azerbaijan ranks first in the world in the number of
refugees per capita and said that those who committed atrocities, like
in Khojali in 1992 - where over 600 civilians were killed by Armenian
armed forces - "have not yet faced the condemnation of the world
community."
Nagorno-Karabakh has been a matter of tension between Armenia and
Azerbaijan for the last 20 years, causing around 30.000 deaths so far.
Peace talks by the OSCE's Minsk Group, led by the US, Russia and
France, have achieved little progress in finding a peaceful solution.
Aliyev recalled the non-fulfilment of four resolutions by the UN
Security Council alone, as well as other resolutions in the European
Parliament, OSCE, Council of Europe and Organisation of Islamic
Cooperation.
"Unfortunately, there is no mechanism of execution of these
decisions," Aliyev said, adding that "the trust for them and belief in
their execution is undermined in these conditions."
However, he stressed that any means to change the status quo has to be
done peacefully. "Azerbaijan today is playing a stabilising role in
the region and we do not want violation of stability," he said.
Founded by Aliyev and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Baku
Humanitarian Forum is a global scientific and political platform
discussing the challenges facing humanity in the 21st century. Eleven
Nobel laureates, more than a dozen former heads of state as well as
high-profile figures from the fields of education, science and culture
from 70 countries are attending the two-day forum.
"I do hope that sooner or later there will be a time when the
resolutions of the UN Security Council will have real force," said the
head of the World Stability Observatory, Luis Manuel Fraga, adding
that stability in the Caucasus and Caspian region is key for world
stability.
He praised the strength of the Azerbaijani government, which offers
clear ideas about the future. "Every year I come and see that the
country is progressing," Fraga said. "The poverty has been
significantly reduced over the past 20 years."
Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri, Director General of the Islamic
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ISESCO) stressed
the need for more mutual respect, respect for cultural diversity,
respect for international law and protection of human dignity and
human rights.
"The world is going through difficult times, lots of wars," he said.
"We need wise people to work out how to save humanity from more
disasters and catastrophes."
Former Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said that in light of
the frozen Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the "idea of reinforcing mutual
respect is very encouraging."
He stressed the "very important role" Azerbaijan plays in the European
Union's Eastern Partnership and noted the necessity to "strengthen
further cooperation."
He also called on the European Union to speed up the process for a new
visa regime, "allowing people from this country to move to Europe
freely."
SOURCE Azerbaijan Monitor
http://www.sacbee.com/2012/10/05/4884036/azerbaijani-president-aliyev-calls.html
From: A. Papazian