President calls on Azerbaijani people to unite

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Oct 14 2004

President Ilham Aliyev returned home from his official visit to Romania
late on Tuesday. Aliyev told journalists at the Heydar Aliyev Airport
that he is satisfied with the results of the visit. “The documents
signed will be a favorable legal base for future cooperation between
Azerbaijan and Romania,” he stressed.

President Aliyev and his Romanian counterpart Ion Iliyesku discussed
the issue on settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over
Upper Garabagh. Aliyev regarded Iliyesku’s statement, “Romania backs
the solution of the conflict within the territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan”, as very important.

President Aliyev recalled that several heads of state have issued
similar statements over the recent years.

“This once again shows that there should be no double standards. All
issues should be considered only under international legal norms and
certainly, Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity should be restored. The
earlier Armenia understands this, the better.”

President Aliyev said that a mechanism should be set up for
implementation of the decisions passed by the UN and OSCE. Expressing
his disappointment with the fact that no sanctions have been imposed
on Armenia yet, Aliyev said: “The conflict can be settled soon if
international legal mechanisms are set up and applied.”

Commenting on a report on the Upper Garabagh conflict by Terry
Davis, the former rapporteur on Upper Garabagh of the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), President Aliyev said it
was impartial and contained realities. The Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict
will be discussed at the PACE session in January, he noted.

Aliyev voiced his confidence that the report would confirm the
occupation of Azerbaijani lands by Armenia and emphasize the need
for imposing sanctions on Armenia.

The President stated that Azerbaijan calls on the Council of Europe
to give a political assessment of the conflict.

“We will achieve our goals when each Azerbaijani citizen – the
President, parliament members and the press, unite to denounce Armenia
as an aggressor,” he added.*