YEREVAN RAPS BAKU’S STATEMENTS ON KARABAKH SETTLEMENT

Interfax
Dec 5 2008
Russia

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian has criticized statements
by the Azeri side on the course of the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement
talks.

Nalbandian said at the OSCE ministerial session in Helsinki that he
"does not even want to comment on this provocative document which
distorts the essence of the talks," the Armenian Foreign Ministry’s
press service told Interfax on Friday.

The Nagorno-Karabakh settlement talks got a new impetus at the
Moscow meeting of the Armenian and Azeri presidents, at which the
Nagorno-Karabakh declaration was signed, the minister.

"However, Azerbaijan interprets the provisions of the declaration
wrongly, saying in particular that peace talks do not rule out the
use of force," he said.

"Nevertheless we hope that we will manage to preserve the spirit and
the positive tune of the Moscow declaration and move ahead in the
settlement," Nalbandian said.

According to Armenian media, the Azeri delegation publicized a document
entitled ‘Applied principles of peaceful settlement in Azerbaijan’s
district of Nagorno-Karabakh and around it’ in Helsinki on Thursday. In
particular, it is noted in the document that "the conflict should
be resolved on the basis of respect to Azerbaijan’s territorial
integrity, the inviolability of the international recognized borders
and peaceful coexistence of Armenian and Azeri communities, which
equally and fully use the fruits of democracy and prosperity as part
of Azerbaijan."

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress