FOREIGN ELEMENTS HINDER NAGORNY KARABAKH PEACE EFFORTS -IRAN ENVOY
RIA Novosti
February 1, 2010
Baku
The Nagorny Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan can
only be resolved by the countries themselves, Iran’s ambassador to
Azerbaijan said on Monday.
In an interview with the Baku-based Trend news agency, Muhammad Bagir
Bahrami said countries outside the region "are only pursuing their own
agendas and view the Nagorny Karabakh issue as a means of furthering
their own interests."
He stressed that the parties to the conflict should solve it "by
making an independent decision."
The envoy said Iran could act as a mediator in the conflict, because
as it borders on both the former Soviet republics it "cannot remain
indifferent."
The issue of Nagorny Karabakh, a breakaway region inside Azerbaijan
with a predominantly ethnic Armenian population, first erupted in
1988, when the region claimed independence from Azerbaijan to join
Armenia. More than 30,000 people are estimated to have died on both
sides between 1988 and 1994.
Armenia and Azerbaijan last Monday agreed a preamble to an agreement
on Nagorny Karabakh, revising and updating the OSCE Madrid principles.
The Madrid principles, adopted in November 2007, envisage a
stage-by-stage resolution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict that
should start with the gradual liberation of parts of Azerbaijan
bordering Karabakh that were partly or fully occupied by Karabakh
Armenian forces during the 1991-94 war. In return, Karabakh should
retain a corridor to Armenia and be able to determine its final status
in a future referendum.