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BAKU REMAINS COLD TO FRENCH LEADER'S OFFER OF AZERBAIJAN-ARMENIA SUMMIT
ITAR-TASS, Russia
June 23 2014
June 23, 21:26 UTC+4 YEREVAN
Azerbaijani FM Elmar Mamedyarov said earlier that Baku was waiting
for concrete proposals following Hollande's initiative to arrange a
new meeting between the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan
YEREVAN, June 23. /ITAR-TASS/. French President Francois Hollande's
offer to arrange a meeting between the presidents of Armenia and
Azerbaijan in Paris was more than concrete, but Baku did not agree
with it, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan said on Monday,
June 23.
"During his visit to the region the president of France made more than
a concrete proposal, including in terms of substance, to organize a
meeting between the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Paris.
Apparently this concrete offer goes against Baku's position and
it expects some other concrete proposal," he said at a joint press
conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov said at a joint press
briefing with Lavrov earlier that Baku was waiting for concrete
proposals following up on Hollande's initiative to arrange a new
meeting between the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan.
"For some reason, Azerbaijan constantly dislikes proposals put forth
on behalf of the international community by the co-chairs, including
those to strengthen the ceasefire regime, withdraw snipers and create
a mechanism for investigating incidents. It does not like proposals
made as one whole and contained in five statements of the presidents
of the five co-chair countries of the OSCE Minsk Group. There are
simply no concrete alternatives to proposals made by the co-chairs
and aimed solely at ensuring a peaceful resolution of the conflict,"
Nalbandyan said.
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan confirmed earlier reiterated
Armenia's commitment to a speedy resolution of the conflict over
Nagorno-Karabakh, a de facto independent but unrecognized state in
Azerbaijan populated mainly by Armenians, on the basis of international
law and join statements of the Minsk Group co-chairs.
"We firmly believe that a new war cannot resolve the conflict,"
Sargsyan said.
In his opinion, "confrontation will only lead to destabilization,
provoke tensions and arms race, and further aggravate interstate
contradictions, foment ethnic and religious strife, and threatens
the security of other countries".
Sargsyan said 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.
"We will do our best to find a fair solution," he said. "The stronger
we are, the more combat capable our army is, the better our positions
at the talks will be."
However, Azerbaijani President Ilham 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 within 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
organizations, including the UN 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 head of state called for a speedy and fair settlement in Karabakh
on the basis of international law.
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.
http://en.itar-tass.com/world/737437
From: A. Papazian
ITAR-TASS, Russia
June 23 2014
June 23, 21:26 UTC+4 YEREVAN
Azerbaijani FM Elmar Mamedyarov said earlier that Baku was waiting
for concrete proposals following Hollande's initiative to arrange a
new meeting between the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan
YEREVAN, June 23. /ITAR-TASS/. French President Francois Hollande's
offer to arrange a meeting between the presidents of Armenia and
Azerbaijan in Paris was more than concrete, but Baku did not agree
with it, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan said on Monday,
June 23.
"During his visit to the region the president of France made more than
a concrete proposal, including in terms of substance, to organize a
meeting between the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Paris.
Apparently this concrete offer goes against Baku's position and
it expects some other concrete proposal," he said at a joint press
conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov said at a joint press
briefing with Lavrov earlier that Baku was waiting for concrete
proposals following up on Hollande's initiative to arrange a new
meeting between the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan.
"For some reason, Azerbaijan constantly dislikes proposals put forth
on behalf of the international community by the co-chairs, including
those to strengthen the ceasefire regime, withdraw snipers and create
a mechanism for investigating incidents. It does not like proposals
made as one whole and contained in five statements of the presidents
of the five co-chair countries of the OSCE Minsk Group. There are
simply no concrete alternatives to proposals made by the co-chairs
and aimed solely at ensuring a peaceful resolution of the conflict,"
Nalbandyan said.
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan confirmed earlier reiterated
Armenia's commitment to a speedy resolution of the conflict over
Nagorno-Karabakh, a de facto independent but unrecognized state in
Azerbaijan populated mainly by Armenians, on the basis of international
law and join statements of the Minsk Group co-chairs.
"We firmly believe that a new war cannot resolve the conflict,"
Sargsyan said.
In his opinion, "confrontation will only lead to destabilization,
provoke tensions and arms race, and further aggravate interstate
contradictions, foment ethnic and religious strife, and threatens
the security of other countries".
Sargsyan said 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.
"We will do our best to find a fair solution," he said. "The stronger
we are, the more combat capable our army is, the better our positions
at the talks will be."
However, Azerbaijani President Ilham 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 within 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
organizations, including the UN 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 head of state called for a speedy and fair settlement in Karabakh
on the basis of international law.
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.
http://en.itar-tass.com/world/737437
From: A. Papazian