ED. NALBANDIAN: ATTEMPTS TO QUIT, FAIL THE NEGOTIATIONS ARE NOT MADE BY ARMENIA, BUT BY AZERBAIJAN
http://times.am/?l=en&p=11936
Armenian and Argentinean Ministers of Foreign Affairs Edward Nalbandian
and Hector Marcos Timerman had a meeting today and then held a joint
press conference. Armenian MFA delivered a speech during the press
conference. Mr. Nalbandian especially said:
"Good morning,
I would like to welcome my Argentine colleague, who is in Armenia on
an official visit.
This year we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the establishment
of diplomatic relations between Armenia and Argentina and we can
record that we have had quite intensive contacts with Argentina in
those years.
We stress the importance of warm and friendly relations with
Argentina. The proof of that fact is that we opened the first Armenian
Embassy in Latin America in Argentina, and Argentina is the first
Latin American country with which we abolished the visa regime. On
its part, the Argentine Embassy to Armenia is the first one in the
South Caucasus.
Surely, the role of massive Armenian community in Argentina plays
a great role in bilateral relations. Some time ago Argentina took
care of the survivors of the Genocide of Armenians, who became
worthy citizens of that country and nowadays through their work and
achievements keep the high name of both Armenian and Argentine peoples
at the global level.
Argentina is a country which condemned the Armenian Genocide by law.
For that I would like to present my particular gratitude to You.
Economic cooperation is an important part of our relations. Argentina
is one of the biggest investors in Armenia's economy.
During the talks with Mr. Timerman, we touched upon quite a wide range
of issues. We agreed to continue the works towards the expansion of
legal framework between the two countries, to strengthen cooperation
in the international organizations, as well as trade and economic,
cultural and scientific and educational interaction. We touched upon
international and regional issues of mutual interest, as well.
We also discussed the recent developments in the settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh issue. Mr. Timerman presented the situation around
the Malvinas/Falkland islands. We share the opinion that the issues
must be settled exclusively through peaceful means based on the
principles of international law.
Of course, we could not avoid from touching upon the situation
recently created as a result of the Hungarian-Azerbaijani disgraceful
deal. Since the crime of Safarov, Azerbaijan was consistently glorified
this horrible deed, even presenting the murderer as an example for
the youth of Azerbaijan.
How could a member-state of the Council of Europe, European Union
and NATO pretend that it believed in the vain promises of Azerbaijan
and made such suspicious step? It brought the great concern of the
international community.
Totally burying its own country in corruption, the Azerbaijani
leadership is trying to export that disease to other states, raising
it to inter-state level. During the recent years there were many
publications about this in the international media. This is a serious
warning for those states and politicians who experience the temptation
to go to such deals.
The international community cannot tolerate the continuation of
Azerbaijan's provocative policy under the cover of negotiations". Then
two top officials answered to the questions by the journalists.
-Recently the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey and other Turkish
officials have spoken out about the mediation in the negotiations
over the Nagorno-Karabakh issue and even about the holding of
the negotiations in Istanbul. Perhaps you are familiar with those
statements. What is your position on it? Thank you.
-With regard to your question on the proposals of the Turkish
side, the new attempts to mediate and to hold negotiations over
the Nagorno-Karabakh issue- what does it mean? The several meetings
held over the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue in different
countries and in some Russian cities recently did not bring the
expected results because they were not held in Istanbul?
Any mediation by the Turkish side or attempts to intervene in this
issue are excluded.
Turkey's interference or attempts to mediate in issues of concern for
the neighbouring countries have never brought any positive results,
just the reverse.
Regarding the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, it has been
repeatedly said, and not only by Armenia, that Turkey cannot play
any mediating role in this issue.
-I have two questions for the Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Mr. Nalbandian, recently many speak about the possibility of the
suspension of the negotiations in the frames of the OSCE Minsk Group
by Armenia due to Safarov's incident. Is it possible that Armenia
really may stop the negotiations due to Safarov's incident? And
the second one, would that incident in anyway have impact on the
negotiations? Thank you.
-The incident has already had its very bad impact on the negotiations
and on regional stability and security in general. But attempts to
quit, fail the negotiations are not made by Armenia, but by Azerbaijan
and one of the reasons of this deal is that Azerbaijan still continues
those attempts.
Azerbaijan is refusing all proposals made by the Co-Chairs. You are
well-aware about our reaction after the statements made in L'Aquila,
Muskoka, Deauville and Los Cabos and you well know about Azerbaijan's
reaction after those statements.
You are well-aware about our reaction to the proposals made by the
Co-chairs, the OSCE Chairmen-in-Office and the UN Secretary-General on
the withdrawal of snipers, consolidation of cease-fire and creation
of a mechanism to investigate cease-fire regime violations on the
front line. Those proposals and others have been continuously rejected
by Azerbaijan.
Over years this behavior of Azerbaijan finds its reflection in the
bellicose statements, threats, recurring provocations in the line
of contact, unprecedented increase of military budget. There is no
other country in the world which so intensively increases its military
budget. All those are directed at the failure of the negotiations.
Most importantly the international community should not tolerate and
allow Azerbaijan the continuation of its provocative policy under
the cover of negotiations, which is full of serious threats for the
region and not only for the region, but also for the international
security and stability.
http://times.am/?l=en&p=11936
Armenian and Argentinean Ministers of Foreign Affairs Edward Nalbandian
and Hector Marcos Timerman had a meeting today and then held a joint
press conference. Armenian MFA delivered a speech during the press
conference. Mr. Nalbandian especially said:
"Good morning,
I would like to welcome my Argentine colleague, who is in Armenia on
an official visit.
This year we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the establishment
of diplomatic relations between Armenia and Argentina and we can
record that we have had quite intensive contacts with Argentina in
those years.
We stress the importance of warm and friendly relations with
Argentina. The proof of that fact is that we opened the first Armenian
Embassy in Latin America in Argentina, and Argentina is the first
Latin American country with which we abolished the visa regime. On
its part, the Argentine Embassy to Armenia is the first one in the
South Caucasus.
Surely, the role of massive Armenian community in Argentina plays
a great role in bilateral relations. Some time ago Argentina took
care of the survivors of the Genocide of Armenians, who became
worthy citizens of that country and nowadays through their work and
achievements keep the high name of both Armenian and Argentine peoples
at the global level.
Argentina is a country which condemned the Armenian Genocide by law.
For that I would like to present my particular gratitude to You.
Economic cooperation is an important part of our relations. Argentina
is one of the biggest investors in Armenia's economy.
During the talks with Mr. Timerman, we touched upon quite a wide range
of issues. We agreed to continue the works towards the expansion of
legal framework between the two countries, to strengthen cooperation
in the international organizations, as well as trade and economic,
cultural and scientific and educational interaction. We touched upon
international and regional issues of mutual interest, as well.
We also discussed the recent developments in the settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh issue. Mr. Timerman presented the situation around
the Malvinas/Falkland islands. We share the opinion that the issues
must be settled exclusively through peaceful means based on the
principles of international law.
Of course, we could not avoid from touching upon the situation
recently created as a result of the Hungarian-Azerbaijani disgraceful
deal. Since the crime of Safarov, Azerbaijan was consistently glorified
this horrible deed, even presenting the murderer as an example for
the youth of Azerbaijan.
How could a member-state of the Council of Europe, European Union
and NATO pretend that it believed in the vain promises of Azerbaijan
and made such suspicious step? It brought the great concern of the
international community.
Totally burying its own country in corruption, the Azerbaijani
leadership is trying to export that disease to other states, raising
it to inter-state level. During the recent years there were many
publications about this in the international media. This is a serious
warning for those states and politicians who experience the temptation
to go to such deals.
The international community cannot tolerate the continuation of
Azerbaijan's provocative policy under the cover of negotiations". Then
two top officials answered to the questions by the journalists.
-Recently the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey and other Turkish
officials have spoken out about the mediation in the negotiations
over the Nagorno-Karabakh issue and even about the holding of
the negotiations in Istanbul. Perhaps you are familiar with those
statements. What is your position on it? Thank you.
-With regard to your question on the proposals of the Turkish
side, the new attempts to mediate and to hold negotiations over
the Nagorno-Karabakh issue- what does it mean? The several meetings
held over the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue in different
countries and in some Russian cities recently did not bring the
expected results because they were not held in Istanbul?
Any mediation by the Turkish side or attempts to intervene in this
issue are excluded.
Turkey's interference or attempts to mediate in issues of concern for
the neighbouring countries have never brought any positive results,
just the reverse.
Regarding the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, it has been
repeatedly said, and not only by Armenia, that Turkey cannot play
any mediating role in this issue.
-I have two questions for the Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Mr. Nalbandian, recently many speak about the possibility of the
suspension of the negotiations in the frames of the OSCE Minsk Group
by Armenia due to Safarov's incident. Is it possible that Armenia
really may stop the negotiations due to Safarov's incident? And
the second one, would that incident in anyway have impact on the
negotiations? Thank you.
-The incident has already had its very bad impact on the negotiations
and on regional stability and security in general. But attempts to
quit, fail the negotiations are not made by Armenia, but by Azerbaijan
and one of the reasons of this deal is that Azerbaijan still continues
those attempts.
Azerbaijan is refusing all proposals made by the Co-Chairs. You are
well-aware about our reaction after the statements made in L'Aquila,
Muskoka, Deauville and Los Cabos and you well know about Azerbaijan's
reaction after those statements.
You are well-aware about our reaction to the proposals made by the
Co-chairs, the OSCE Chairmen-in-Office and the UN Secretary-General on
the withdrawal of snipers, consolidation of cease-fire and creation
of a mechanism to investigate cease-fire regime violations on the
front line. Those proposals and others have been continuously rejected
by Azerbaijan.
Over years this behavior of Azerbaijan finds its reflection in the
bellicose statements, threats, recurring provocations in the line
of contact, unprecedented increase of military budget. There is no
other country in the world which so intensively increases its military
budget. All those are directed at the failure of the negotiations.
Most importantly the international community should not tolerate and
allow Azerbaijan the continuation of its provocative policy under
the cover of negotiations, which is full of serious threats for the
region and not only for the region, but also for the international
security and stability.