ALIYEV CALLS ON EU TO TELL ARMENIA THAT KARABAKH WILL NEVER BE …

Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS Presidential Bulletin
March 11, 2008
Russia

EU member states should make Armenia understand that its attempts to
seek the international recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh are unpromising,
Azeri President Ilkham Aliyev said.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict can be resolved only given the fact that
Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity is maintained, the president told
journalists after talks with Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov in
Baku in last Monday.

"Countries that cooperate with us, in particular the EU member states,
should strengthen their actions in this area and send the aggressor
[Armenia] a message that Nagorno-Karabakh will never be independent
and that no country will recognize its independence," Aliyev said.

"I think that in this case the settlement talks will become swifter,"
the president said.

At the same time, Parvanov confirmed that Bulgaria support effort of
the OSCE Minsk Group and stated that his country is ready to contribute
to the settlement.

Besides Parvanov said after a meeting with Aliyev, that Bulgaria is
ready to buy up to one billion cubic meters of Azeri gas.

Parvanov noted that he discussed Bulgaria’s readiness to take part
in exploring, producing and transporting Azeri gas. "As well as to
buy some gas: about one billion cubic meters per year. Gas will be
transported through the existing route, through Turkey and Greece,"
Parvanov said.

"I proposed the idea of discussing Azerbaijan’s active involvement
in some European energy projects, including Burgas-Alexandroupolis
at the level of our ministers and experts from energy companies
to the Azeri president An I am thankful for his backing the idea,"
the Bulgarian president said.

"Bulgaria, as an EU member responsible for Europe’s energy security,
asks [Azerbaijan] to activate the work on the implementation of the
Nabucco project. I think that Azerbaijan could deliver much gas within
the framework of this project," Parvanov said.

"I thank Aliyev for his support of the idea to hold a conference
of Black Sea and Caspian states on the issue of diversifying energy
resources and more active works in this sphere," Parvanov said.