SUPERPOWERS’ POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC PRESSURE ON ARMENIA ONLY WAY OF
SETTLING NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT: TOFIK ZULFUGAROV

YEREVAN, AUGUST 21. ARMINFO. political and economic pressure on
Armenia on the part of superpowers is the only way of settling the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the ex-minister of foreign affairs of
Azerbaijan Tofik Zulfugarov stated in his interview to the Baku-based
“Zerkalo” newspaper.

Commenting on the recent talks on Russia’s attempts to take the
initiative in settling the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Zulfugarov
stated that “the problem can hardly be resolved by only one of the
OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs without considering the others’ points of
view.” According to Zulfugarov, the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs have
already elaborated a strategy of solving the problem. “From this
point of view, at a certain stage, each country accomplishes tasks set
to it. Thus, the Minsk Group intends to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh
problem by combined efforts,” Zulfugarov said.

Commenting of the statement made by Steven Manne, US Co-Chair, that
“we cannot confirm the fact of aggression,” Zulfugarov said that Manne
thus indicated that the Co-chairs are not assessing the situation.
According to him, the OSCE Minsk Group is trying to find a peaceful
solution to the problem, so it is avoiding statements that may arouse
one of the conflicting parties’ concern. As to whether the Minsk Group
is able to make proposals for the resolution of the problem, Zulfugarov
pointed out that it requires the combination of two factors. In
particular, the OSCE Minsk Group must cause the two sides to draw
closer to each other, as well as criticize the side that will take on
a nonconstructive position and exert influence on it. Commenting on
statements made by some political scientists, who draw parallels
between the situation in Georgia and the Nagorno-Karabakh problem,
Zulfugarov stated that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is different from
the Georgian-Ossetian one. According to him, Armenia occupied
Azerbaijani territories and “though temporarily, annexed them.” At the
current stage, it is difficult to say what is behind the Co-Chairs’
statements on the importance of mutual concessions, Zulfugarov said.