Azeri speaker pleased with results of France meeting with Armenian
counterpart
ANS TV, Baku
7 Nov 04
[Presenter] The heads of the Azerbaijani, Armenian and Georgian
parliaments have agreed to set up a working group to study tourism
opportunities and the present situation of historical and cultural
monuments in these countries during their meeting in Versailles
[France].
[Murtuz Alasgarov, chairman of the Azerbaijani parliament] I think
this event is rather important. Overall, our visit was at a very high
level. We stated our position, as we have done it before, that
Azerbaijan’s official stand is that we must liberate our occupied
territories and refugees must return home. Our objective in general
is to protect the territorial integrity of states in accordance with
international norms.
[Correspondent over video presumably of France] This is how Mr
Alasgarov briefly described the negotiations in France. He said that
it was proposed at the meeting of the speakers of all three countries
to set up a working group to boost tourism. The group which will
include five members from each of the three countries will examine
tourism opportunities in the South Caucasus countries and cultural and
historical monuments. The speaker said that the Azerbaijani delegation
supported this proposal because the establishment of the working group
did not contradict Baku’s interests.
[Alasgarov] We also have a lot of monuments in our occupied lands. I
think we will also have our say there [in the working group] as to
where and how many monuments have been destroyed and how many
historical monuments we have. The biggest is Azix Cave in the
territory of Fuzuli District, and its restoration and preservation are
extremely important for us. Generally, the restoration of all
national, cultural and historical monuments in Azerbaijan means the
preservation of our national heritage.
Holiday-making in Nagornyy Karabakh is that [changing tack], oh yes,
meaning Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan – if people travel there, we
will raise the issue of them travelling there with Azerbaijan’s
permission.
[Correspondent] Unlike the Strasbourg meeting of the speakers, this
time no proposal was made to set up a Caucasus parliament.
[Alasgarov] The speaker of the Armenian parliament had made such a
proposal at the meeting in Strasbourg. I said that as long as the
occupied [Azerbaijani] lands are not liberated, there can be no talk
about a Caucasus parliament. Of course, there is a need for a common
parliament of the Caucasus states, the South Caucasus republics, in
the future in order to achieve economic growth in the region and
develop relations. But since our lands are still under occupation,
there can be no talk about that.
[Correspondent] Murtuz Alasgarov said that the date for the next
trilateral meeting is still to be fixed. It was the third time that
Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia had held a meeting in this format. One
may wonder that although the Azerbaijani and Armenian speakers are
negotiating at the highest level, Murtuz Alasgarov thinks it necessary
to hold discussions with Armenian parliamentarians, too, within the
framework of the 58th Rose-Roth seminar of the NATO Parliamentary
Assembly. Mr Alasgarov explains his position in the following way.
[Alasgarov] I think that there is no need for objecting to the visit
by representatives of the [Armenian] parliament. They are not
servicemen. They are representatives elected by the people. Let them
come and we will have our say here as well. In any case, the purpose
of this seminar and event where NATO representatives and members will
be present is to raise the issue with NATO and see what kind of work
NATO can do to get our occupied lands liberated.
Ayaz Mirzayev and Emil Babaxanov for ANS.