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AZERBAIJAN'S HARDLINE POLICY HINDERS PROGRESS ON KARABAKH TALKS - DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER
YEREVAN, March 17. /ARKA/. Azerbaijan's uncompromising policy is
hindering progress on the Karabakh peace process, Armenia's deputy
foreign minister Shavarsh Kocharyan said on Sputnik-Armenia radio
on Monday.
"The Azerbaijani side agrees to no compromise. They want everything
or nothing, hence, it is not realistic to expect progress in these
conditions," Kocharyan said.
Madrid principles proposed by the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group is
not something the Armenian side dreamed of; it is just a compromising
document serving as basis for the talks and trying to bring the
mutually exclusive positions closer, the deputy minister said.
Madrid principles contain some compromising proposals where the
territorial issues are addressed, Kocharyan said.
The deputy foreign minister stressed that some of Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic territories, part of Martuni and Martakert regions and
Shahumyan region in particular, are still under the control of
Azerbaijan.
Kocharyan also said that it is not Armenia, but Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic, that should decide on all territorial issues.
The deputy minister said it would be desirable if Azerbaijan
recognized NKR's independence, which would rule out any use-of-force
settlement. After that, the two sides should negotiate and settle
all the border issues, Kocharyan said.
The Karabakh conflict started in 1988 when prevailingly Armenian
population of Nagorno-Karabakh declared withdrawal from Azerbaijan. On
December 10, 1991, a referendum was held in Nagorno-Karabakh where
99.89% voted for independence from Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan responded by large-scale military operations that led
to loss of control not only over Nagorno-Karabakh itself, but also
over seven adjoining areas. About 25-30 thousand people were killed
and about a million had to leave their homes during the military
operations. A trilateral cease-fire agreement was signed on May 12,
2004, and has been followed since then.
The ongoing Karabakh peace process started in 1992 under auspices of
OSCE Minsk Group co-chaired by the USA, Russia and France. -0--
http://arka.am/en/news/politics/azerbaijan_s_hardline_policy_hinders_progress_on_k arabakh_talks_deputy_foreign_minister/#sthash.gkidqBas.dpuf
YEREVAN, March 17. /ARKA/. Azerbaijan's uncompromising policy is
hindering progress on the Karabakh peace process, Armenia's deputy
foreign minister Shavarsh Kocharyan said on Sputnik-Armenia radio
on Monday.
"The Azerbaijani side agrees to no compromise. They want everything
or nothing, hence, it is not realistic to expect progress in these
conditions," Kocharyan said.
Madrid principles proposed by the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group is
not something the Armenian side dreamed of; it is just a compromising
document serving as basis for the talks and trying to bring the
mutually exclusive positions closer, the deputy minister said.
Madrid principles contain some compromising proposals where the
territorial issues are addressed, Kocharyan said.
The deputy foreign minister stressed that some of Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic territories, part of Martuni and Martakert regions and
Shahumyan region in particular, are still under the control of
Azerbaijan.
Kocharyan also said that it is not Armenia, but Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic, that should decide on all territorial issues.
The deputy minister said it would be desirable if Azerbaijan
recognized NKR's independence, which would rule out any use-of-force
settlement. After that, the two sides should negotiate and settle
all the border issues, Kocharyan said.
The Karabakh conflict started in 1988 when prevailingly Armenian
population of Nagorno-Karabakh declared withdrawal from Azerbaijan. On
December 10, 1991, a referendum was held in Nagorno-Karabakh where
99.89% voted for independence from Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan responded by large-scale military operations that led
to loss of control not only over Nagorno-Karabakh itself, but also
over seven adjoining areas. About 25-30 thousand people were killed
and about a million had to leave their homes during the military
operations. A trilateral cease-fire agreement was signed on May 12,
2004, and has been followed since then.
The ongoing Karabakh peace process started in 1992 under auspices of
OSCE Minsk Group co-chaired by the USA, Russia and France. -0--
http://arka.am/en/news/politics/azerbaijan_s_hardline_policy_hinders_progress_on_k arabakh_talks_deputy_foreign_minister/#sthash.gkidqBas.dpuf