Any progress in Karabakh talks not in favour of Azerbaijan – opposition leader

Azadliq, Baku
4 Sep 04

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, who has met his
Armenian counterpart Vardan Oskanyan again in Prague, has said that
progress has been made in the settlement of the Karabakh conflict.

But Bahaddin Haziyev, deputy PFAP [Peoples Front of Azerbaijan Party
reformists’ wing] chairman, thinks that if the foreign ministers really
reached any agreement in Prague, this could be only to the detriment
of Azerbaijan’s interests. Because both countries’ positions on the
settlement of the conflict are clear and Armenian Defence Minister
Serzh Sarkisyan has recently reiterated that his country would in no
way relinquish its principles.

“Azerbaijan is ready to give the highest status to Karabakh within
its territory and secure the safety of its population. This is our
country’s principle in the conflict. But Armenia is trying to have a
Karabakh outside Azerbaijan’s b orders, make sure that Karabakh has
land borders with Armenia, and secure an international guarantee for
the safety of [Karabakh’s] Armenian community. So, it means that if
any progress was really made in Prague, one of the sides must have
given up. Armenia is saying that it has not. If the opposite side
has not given up its principles, then there can be no talk of any
progress in favour of Azerbaijan,” Haziyev said.

Haziyev added that if the alleged progress relates to Armenia’s
withdrawal from the districts around Karabakh, this does not mean that
a settlement to the conflict has been found. Armenia has repeatedly
hinted that it would pull out of the districts only in the event the
conflict is settled in accordance with its principles.

“Some people are saying that the talks are about cancellation of the
settlement process for an uncertain period in return for Armenia’s
withdrawal from the districts around Karabakh. We cannot say if it is
true or not. But ‘Nagornyy Karabakh’s chief of staff’ has recently said
that he is ready to withdraw his troops for the sake of the settlement
of the conflict. [Armenia’s] possible withdrawal from the surrounding
districts would not mean a settlement to the conflict. Armenia has
repeatedly stated that it would pull out of the districts if the
conflict is settled in accordance with its principles,” Haziyev said.