Azerbaijan foreign minister calls for dialogue over war on Karabakh
Azad Azarbaycan TV, Baku
19 Apr 04
[Presenter Namiq Aliyev] Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar
Mammadyarov has said that the Prague meeting [with Armenian Foreign
Minister Vardan Oskanyan] was of a fact-finding character. In an
exclusive interview with Azad Azarbaycan TV, Mr Mammadyarov spoke
about the importance of meetings of this kind for a peaceful
settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict.
[Correspondent, over archive footage of Prague] The main result of the
Prague meeting between the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers
is that the sides have agreed to continue the talks, Mammadyarov
said. The minister said that at the meeting the US president’s Caspian
envoy, Steven Mann, received a mandate [as OSCE Minsk Group
co-chairman] from his predecessor, Rudolf Perina. Mammadyarov said
that Mr Mann made a good impression. No specific proposals were
discussed at the meeting, he added.
[Mammadyarov] No, there are no new proposals for the time being. We
finished our fact-finding meeting.
[Correspondent] We should note that Armenian President Robert
Kocharyan said before the talks that Nagornyy Karabakh will never be
part of Azerbaijan and that its security will be guaranteed only in
two cases, either through Nagornyy Karabakh’s operation as an
independent state or its annexation to Armenia. But Mammadyarov said
that the Azerbaijani government stood firm on the issue.
[Mammadyarov] Every meeting certainly brings more hope. You are aware
of Azerbaijan’s position. We stand firm on this.
[Correspondent] Mammadyarov commented on bellicose statements from
both sides. The Azerbaijani government is going to solve the problem
peacefully and is confident that this is the most suitable way,
Mammadyarov said. He said priority will be given not to the military
option but dialogue.
[Mammadyarov] It is too early to speak about peace or war. For the
time being 20 per cent of the Azerbaijani lands are under
occupation. The point is what option should be used to liberate these
lands.
[Correspondent] Mammadyarov also said that the date of the foreign
ministers’ next meeting had not been specified in Prague. He said the
sides will decide on the issue depending on the situation.
Rasad Huseynov, Emil Aliyarli, “Son Xabar”.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
