Azeri minister regrets Armenian leader’s “aggressive rhetoric”

ANS TV, Baku
24 Jun 04

[Presenter] Armenian President Robert Kocharyan has already left
France. His speech at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of
Europe [PACE] on 23 June is being analysed as a confession of
occupation at the state level.

[Correspondent over video of Kocharyan speaking at PACE] This is
Armenian President Robert Kocharyan’s confession. Yes, I do not
recognize Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. I participated in the
military operation in Nagornyy Karabakh from 1988 to 1994 and am proud
of this.

The head of the Azerbaijani delegation to PACE, MP Samad Seyidov, said
that the Armenian president’s speech did not cause discontent only
amongst Azerbaijani MPs, but also European MPs.

[Samad Seyidov by telephone from Strasbourg] There was a big scandal
here, because of his statement at the Council of Europe that he had
occupied lands and was proud of it. This is a disgrace. At today’s
discussions on the Nagornyy Karabakh-Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict,
[Secretary-General elect] Terry Davis said that the Armenian president
had said those words yesterday. However, we should bear in mind that
Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity has been recognized by the UN.

[Correspondent] Seyidov said that the shorthand report of Robert
Kocharyan’s report was already ready and the speech would be analysed
and reflected in documents and a resolution of the Council of
Europe. A quote: Kocharyan has actually exposed himself with his
statement in Strasbourg. He did not behave like a president, but a
ringleader. He will soon be brought to book at a military court for
his utterances, end quote.

Robert Kocharyan’s scandalous speech is already being debated in all
Council of Europe committees. The MP said that this issue would also
be debated at the autumn session of PACE.

[Samad Seyidov] We both protested against this, are preparing the
necessary documents for the next session, and members of our
delegation are meeting other delegates to prove that the information
given was wide of the mark. At the same time, we are planning to take
several other concrete steps.

[Correspondent] We asked the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry for its next
steps. Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said that the aggressive
rhetoric from the influential Council of Europe rostrum caused regret
and did not serve a peaceful resolution of the Nagornyy Karabakh
conflict.

Afat Telmanqizi for ANS.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress