No peace deal till Armenia pulls back from occupied lands – Azeri minister

Space TV, Baku
31 Aug 04

[Presenter] Azerbaijan may sign a peace agreement after Armenian
troops withdraw from Nagornyy Karabakh, [Azerbaijani Defence Minister]
Safar Abiyev has told a ceremony to celebrate Turkey’s army day.

[Correspondent over video of Abiyev speaking at a rostrum] Azerbaijani
Defence Minister Abiyev has said that he supports the statement of the
Azerbaijani leadership about signing a peace deal with Armenia only if
that country pulls its troops out of Nagornyy Karabakh. Abiyev said
that Azerbaijan’s armed forces support this policy of the country’s
leadership and they are ready to execute all the orders of the supreme
commander to drive Armenian troops out of the occupied lands.

He said that Armenia’s uncompromising position blocks the resolution
of the Karabakh conflict. The policy that the occupying Armenian
leadership is pursuing is a source of threat not just to the South
Caucasus, but to Europe and the world at large. Nevertheless,
the Azerbaijani people will not leave an inch of their land under
Armenian occupation, Abiyev stressed. The defence minister thanked the
leadership of Turkey for its support of Azerbaijan in the settlement
of the [Karabakh] conflict. He particularly noted the contribution
of Turkish specialists to the training of Azerbaijani soldiers.