Trend, Azerbaijan
Oct 22 2011

Baku: Armenia not interested in just and peaceful conflict settlement

22 October 2011, 16:23 (GMT+05:00) Azerbaijan, Baku, Oct. 22 / Trend
S. Agayeva /

Armenia’s destructive reaction to Azerbaijan’s any constructive
proposal once again shows that the Armenian leadership is not
interested in just and peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict through negotiations, Head of the Foreign Relations
Department at the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration Novruz
Mammadov told Trend on Saturday.

In his interview with media, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar
Mammadyarov said that it is necessary to leave the uncoordinated
moments to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and to move to the
negotiations on a big peace agreement. Armenian Foreign Minister
Edward Nalbandian met with the co-chairmen and said that Azerbaijan’s
position contradicts the essence of negotiations.

By this step Azerbaijan once again demonstrates the international
community and co-chairing countries its will to resolve the conflict
only by peaceful means and through negotiations, Mammadov said. “So,
Azerbaijan is ready to take all steps to rapidly resolve this
conflict.”

“You know that Azerbaijan demonstrates its will and determination in
negotiation processes conducted over the last years, by proposing all
the possible variants in all spheres and areas,” Mammadov said.
“Armenia’s main objective is to delay the process by imitating the
negotiation process, and thus, supposedly, to gain time. This is
Armenia’s tragedy. They cannot understand that no matter how long the
time would last, it does not work and will never work in Armenia’s
favor. But they think that they win because they want to gain time
while pursuing their own ambitions and interests to remain in power.
The Armenian side has repeatedly demonstrated that it is not
interested in resolving the conflict.”

Commenting on Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s last statement on
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Mammadov said that the statement is a
result of the theoretical and pragmatic analysis. It shows that this
conflict can be resolved.

In his statement, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Moscow
continues providing support in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. But both peoples must try to reach agreement. However,
President Medvedev noted that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is one of
several frozen conflicts in Europe, which may be solved.

He said that it is pleasant that President Medvedev has taken serious
steps to resolve the conflict over the last two years.

“Despite a number of steps were taken, I think that the Russian side
is very well aware that the Armenian side has repeatedly violated the
process, abandoned the promise or held another position,” he said.

“It made attempts and accused Azerbaijan of delaying the conflict and
failed negotiations. The Armenian President made a written statement
at the last meeting in Kazan that the negotiations are difficult, but
there are positive elements and it is necessary to continue
negotiating.

But two hours later, Armenian Foreign Minister said the talks were
violated and blamed Azerbaijan. You know, they have a very strange
sense of dignity. They are always willing to take similar steps. They
have no principle. I think that after these statements, all three
countries must have a specific position to be able to stop these
actions of the Armenian side. They always find new reasons. They will
try to delay the negotiations for another 20 years.”

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. – are
currently holding the peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.

Mr.Mammadov’s statement is available in his personal page at

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress