AZERBAIJAN WILL PREVENT SECESSION OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH – ALIYEV

Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS
March 4, 2008
Russia

Azeri President Ilkham Aliyev thinks that the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict is still a major problem for his country.I state once again
that Azerbaijan will not give up its position, and we will resolve
the issue on the basis of the territorial integrity principle, Aliyev
said at a ceremony of opening a monument to his father Geidar Aliyev
in the Khanlar district of Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan will not allow Nagorno-Karabakh to secede, and the faster
the opposite party understands this, the better, Aliyev said. We
do not give up our principal position. Our position is based on the
international law and justice, the president said.

We still continue the peaceful talks. We still have certain hopes, but
at the same time we are bolstering our military might, the president
said, adding that some international organizations reproach Azerbaijan
of building up forces.

When we were poor no one helped us, and this is only up to us to
decide how to spend money. We spend them at building power plants
and gas lines, improving infrastructure, as well as increasing the
military potential, Aliyev said.

The growing military potential contribute to the peaceful resolution
of the conflict, he said. The aggressor understands that Azerbaijan has
changed and it is impossible to continue occupying its territories. One
will not be successful if he makes ultimatums to us.

Azerbaijan is a strong state from the political, economic and military
viewpoints, Aliyev said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress