Azeri Diplomat Refutes Russian Co-chairs Statement

Baku Today 16/07/2004 17:20

A top Azeri diplomat on Thursday voiced protest against the idea of
involving the self-proclaimed republic of Nagorno-Karabakh into the
peace negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The Russian co-chairman of the Minsk group of the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Yuri Merzlyakov, had said
while in Yerevan a few days ago that Nagorno-Karabakh’s participation
in the talks could contribute to finding a peace.

`Russia and other co-chairs of the Minsk Group should act under
theOSCE mandate, which doesn’t envision the participation of the
Armenian community of Nagorno-Karabakh in the negotiations,’ Ramiz
Novruzov, head of the International Relations Department at the
Presidential Apparatus, told reporters, according to Assa-Irada news
agency.

Novruzov added that the Armenian community may take part in the talks
only if the Azerbaijani community of Nagorno-Karabakh is also involved
in the negotiations.

The Azeri diplomat also refuted a statement by Merzlyakov that the
Nagono-Karabakh Armenians signed have the May 1994 cease-fire
agreement along with Azerbaijan and Armenia.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress