AZERBAIJAN HAS ALREADY REACHED LIMIT OF ITS CONCESSIONS TO ARMENIA: MP
Today
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Nov 10 2009
Azerbaijan
Day.Az interview with member of Azerbaijani parliament Zahid Oruj.
Q: How do you assess the outlines of the Madrid principles on
resolution of the Karabakh conflict?
A: I believe that Azerbaijan should reveal all outlines of the Madrid
principles. We must make it clear what status for Karabakh is discussed
at the negotiations. If a status comparable with that of Tatarstan
in Russia is debated, I am personally against it. We must publicly
answer some questions, for example, how much money will be allocated
to restore the Karabakh region.
The most important is that we must clearly let all know that
Azerbaijan’s goal is not to return five regions surrounding Karabakh,
but liberation of all territories occupied by Armenia.
Q: May the European Union play more significant role in resolution
of the Karabakh conflict?
A: Many believe that the EU has more economic than political role in
the region. But economy sets conditions for politics in many respects.
Europe wants to take three South Caucasus republics under its wing.
This view is not replicated, but the EU wants to create something
like the Benelux in the Caucasus. Any region-wide cooperation is
impossible until all territorial disputes in the Caucasus are resolved
Q: During a recent visit in Yerevan, the EU Special Representative
for Caucasus Peter Semneby said that the current status quo in
Nagorno-Karabakh could no longer continue, and the sides must make
compromises. What are your views about these statements?
A: We need to understand that the present status quo was formed due
to the fact that Azerbaijan grew stronger and did not let opponents
to legalize the separation of Karabakh from Azerbaijan.
Otherwise, Karabakh would have been a part of Armenia long ago. There
is a conflict situation in which that none of the parties can
achieve preponderance in solving the Karabakh issue. So, Europe is
not interested in presence of this conflict and wants it to be solved.
But if the EU hopes that the Karabakh conflict can be resolved through
concessions by Azerbaijan, it is mistaken. Azerbaijan has already
reached the limit of its concessions to Armenia.