Deutsche Presse-Agentur, Germany
August 25, 2004, Wednesday
Aliyev warns of dangers posed by Armenian secessionism
Berlin
Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev said Wednesday the breakaway ethnic
Armenian province Nargorno Karabach would have to remain a part of
his country and warned against the dangers of secessionism.
Pointing to millions of Armenians who live in communities around the
world, Aliyev asked what other countries would do if faced with
similar threats of Armenians voting to secede.
“Just imagine if Armenians, everywhere they live in the world would
start to think about self-determination and just imagine how many
Armenian states that would turn up on the world map,” said Aliyev
speaking through a translator after talks with German Chancellor
Gerhard Schroeder.
Nargorno Karabach is an ethnic Armenian enclave within Azerbaijan’s
internationally recognized borders which broke away from Baku’s
control in the early 1990s.
Armenia backs secessionists in Nagorno Karabach and militarily
occupies about one-sixth of Azerbaijan. The Organization for Security
and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) continues to mediate disputes.
Chancellor Schroeder insisted Azerbaijan’s old borders remained
recognised by Berlin and said Germany would continue to back OSCE
moves aimed at a political resolution of the disputed territory.
Aliyev said he wanted Armenians to live in Azerbaijan and in Nargorno
Karabach – but under Baku’s control.
“This policy of the Armenians has had no success and I hope the
Armenians will soon understand this and withdraw their armed forces
from the occupied territories,” said Aliyev, adding: “Then we can
live in peace.” dpa lm sr