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AZERBAIJAN SEEKS STEPPED-UP MEDIATION OF CONFLICT WITH ARMENIA
Latin American Herald Tribune
June 24 2014
STRASBOURG, France - Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev appealed
on Tuesday for intensified efforts by the international community
to resolve his country's conflict with Armenia over the disputed
territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Aliyev traveled to Strasbourg to address the Parliamentary Assembly
of the Council of Europe.
His speech came a month after Azerbaijan assumed the six-month
Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.
The conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh goes back to the collapse of the
Soviet Union, when the region's Armenian population sought unification
with Armenia, leading to a 1991-1994 war that left more than 25,000
people dead.
Armenia has engaged in ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh, Aliyev
said.
Armenia's continuing occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh reflects a double
standard in international relations, he said, noting that no steps
have been taken to enforce the four UN Security Council resolutions
calling for Armenian withdrawal from the territory.
"Sometimes (Security Council resolutions) are applied in a few hours
and, in our case, nothing happens after 20 years," the Azerbaijani
president said.
The negotiating process "cannot be eternal," Aliyev said, expressing
confidence that the lead mediators, the United States, France and
Russia, will direct the talks toward a conclusion.
Aliyev, a former member of the assembly, also responded to questions
about allegations of human rights abuses in Azerbaijan.
His government is not holding any political prisoners and freedom of
the press is respected, the Azerbaijani president said, dismissing
reports to the contrary by NGOs as "biased."
Two French investigative reporters were expelled from Azerbaijan
last month.
http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=2341440&CategoryId=12395
From: Baghdasarian
Latin American Herald Tribune
June 24 2014
STRASBOURG, France - Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev appealed
on Tuesday for intensified efforts by the international community
to resolve his country's conflict with Armenia over the disputed
territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Aliyev traveled to Strasbourg to address the Parliamentary Assembly
of the Council of Europe.
His speech came a month after Azerbaijan assumed the six-month
Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.
The conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh goes back to the collapse of the
Soviet Union, when the region's Armenian population sought unification
with Armenia, leading to a 1991-1994 war that left more than 25,000
people dead.
Armenia has engaged in ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh, Aliyev
said.
Armenia's continuing occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh reflects a double
standard in international relations, he said, noting that no steps
have been taken to enforce the four UN Security Council resolutions
calling for Armenian withdrawal from the territory.
"Sometimes (Security Council resolutions) are applied in a few hours
and, in our case, nothing happens after 20 years," the Azerbaijani
president said.
The negotiating process "cannot be eternal," Aliyev said, expressing
confidence that the lead mediators, the United States, France and
Russia, will direct the talks toward a conclusion.
Aliyev, a former member of the assembly, also responded to questions
about allegations of human rights abuses in Azerbaijan.
His government is not holding any political prisoners and freedom of
the press is respected, the Azerbaijani president said, dismissing
reports to the contrary by NGOs as "biased."
Two French investigative reporters were expelled from Azerbaijan
last month.
http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=2341440&CategoryId=12395
From: Baghdasarian