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AZERBAIJANI THINK-TANK RESPONDS TO JOHN KERRY'S STATEMENT ON NAGORNO-KARABAKH
AzerNews, Azerbaijan
April 19 2013
By Sara Rajabova
US Secretary of State John Kerry acts on behalf of US national
interests, the head of an Azerbaijani think-tank told Trend news
agency on Friday. He was commenting on the latest statement of the
Armenian lobby in the U.S. whereby it criticized Kerry's call for
Turkey's increased role in the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, once again showing its lack of interest in
moving forward the stalled conflict settlement.
"As a congressman, Kerry had always been one of those who was
supported by the Armenian diaspora and lobby," said Director of the
Center for Strategic Studies under the President of Azerbaijan, Farhad
Mammadov. "[But] as a Congressman Kerry was expressing the views of
voters, but now he acts on behalf of the national interests of the
United States."
Kerry stated in the House of Representatives on Thursday that Turkey
would be a constructive player in the settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh and the Cyprus issues. "Turkey plays a constructive
role in resolving the two disputes," he added.
According to Mammadov, the U.S. operates with Turkey's assistance in
regions such as the Middle East, the Black Sea as well as the South
Caucasus in accordance with its interests.
"We would like to believe that the strengthening of Turkey's role in
the South Caucasus will be directly linked to the resolution of the
Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict."
According to Mammadov, Turkey is indirectly involved in the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution anyway. First, Turkey is one of
the 11 members of the OSCE Minsk Group. Second, Turkey became one of
the countries that punished Armenia by closing its border with the
invader country, after the occupation of the Kalbajar region of
Azerbaijan. So, that position of Turkey is not new for the U.S.
"To that end, if the United States supports Turkey in the solution of
the Nagorno-Karabakh problem, we can only rejoice at this," Mammadov
said.
The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict emerged in 1988 when Armenia made
territorial claims against the neighboring country. Since a lengthy
war between the two South Caucasus countries that displaced over a
million Azerbaijanis and ended with the signing of a precarious
cease-fire in 1994, Armenian armed forces have occupied over 20
percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
Peace talks brokered by Minsk Group co-chairs representing the United
States, Russia and France have been largely fruitless so far.
The negotiations are underway on the basis of a peace outline proposed
by the Minsk Group co-chairs and dubbed the Madrid Principles, also
known as Basic Principles. The document envisions a return of the
territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijani control;
determining the final legal status of Nagorno-Karabakh; a corridor
linking Armenia to the region; and the right of all internally
displaced persons to return home.
AzerNews, Azerbaijan
April 19 2013
By Sara Rajabova
US Secretary of State John Kerry acts on behalf of US national
interests, the head of an Azerbaijani think-tank told Trend news
agency on Friday. He was commenting on the latest statement of the
Armenian lobby in the U.S. whereby it criticized Kerry's call for
Turkey's increased role in the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, once again showing its lack of interest in
moving forward the stalled conflict settlement.
"As a congressman, Kerry had always been one of those who was
supported by the Armenian diaspora and lobby," said Director of the
Center for Strategic Studies under the President of Azerbaijan, Farhad
Mammadov. "[But] as a Congressman Kerry was expressing the views of
voters, but now he acts on behalf of the national interests of the
United States."
Kerry stated in the House of Representatives on Thursday that Turkey
would be a constructive player in the settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh and the Cyprus issues. "Turkey plays a constructive
role in resolving the two disputes," he added.
According to Mammadov, the U.S. operates with Turkey's assistance in
regions such as the Middle East, the Black Sea as well as the South
Caucasus in accordance with its interests.
"We would like to believe that the strengthening of Turkey's role in
the South Caucasus will be directly linked to the resolution of the
Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict."
According to Mammadov, Turkey is indirectly involved in the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution anyway. First, Turkey is one of
the 11 members of the OSCE Minsk Group. Second, Turkey became one of
the countries that punished Armenia by closing its border with the
invader country, after the occupation of the Kalbajar region of
Azerbaijan. So, that position of Turkey is not new for the U.S.
"To that end, if the United States supports Turkey in the solution of
the Nagorno-Karabakh problem, we can only rejoice at this," Mammadov
said.
The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict emerged in 1988 when Armenia made
territorial claims against the neighboring country. Since a lengthy
war between the two South Caucasus countries that displaced over a
million Azerbaijanis and ended with the signing of a precarious
cease-fire in 1994, Armenian armed forces have occupied over 20
percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
Peace talks brokered by Minsk Group co-chairs representing the United
States, Russia and France have been largely fruitless so far.
The negotiations are underway on the basis of a peace outline proposed
by the Minsk Group co-chairs and dubbed the Madrid Principles, also
known as Basic Principles. The document envisions a return of the
territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijani control;
determining the final legal status of Nagorno-Karabakh; a corridor
linking Armenia to the region; and the right of all internally
displaced persons to return home.