Azeri leader visits central district, promises Karabakh settlement soon

ANS TV, Baku
11 Sep 04

[Presenter Qanira Atasova] Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev
today met refugees who had been displaced from their homes as a
result of Armenia’s aggression and had resettled in Barda [central
Azerbaijan]. The head of state is visiting Barda as part of his
regional tour. ANS correspondent in Barda Afat Telmanqizi has
more. Hello, Afat.

[Correspondent, on the telephone] Hello, Qanira.

[Presenter] Afat, what issues did the president mostly speak about?

[Correspondent] Qanira, today residents of the Turk Qizil Ay [Red
Crescent] camp welcomed Aliyev with slogans “Welcome to Karabakh” and
“Azerbaijan will never agree with the occupation of even an inch of
its territory”. Greeting the refugees, Aliyev said that the Nagornyy
Karabakh problem will be settled soon and that Karabakh will be
liberated from the occupation. He said: We have been trying to settle
this problem peacefully; but if this yields no results, the Azerbaijani
people will unite and liberate the lands from the occupation by force
[end of quote]. He once again said that there will be no compromises
on Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. Azerbaijan is able to liberate
its lands as patriotic spirit is high, the mobilization [indistinct]
and our economic potential allows this.

Then Aliyev attended an opening of the Zarifa Aliyeva secondary
school. He was shown around the classrooms. Here Aliyev expressed his
dissatisfaction with the activity of the OSCE Minsk Group mediating
in the settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh problem. Aliyev promised
to Barda residents that he was firm to fulfil his promise to settle
the Karabakh problem soon. The president is currently attending an
opening of a swimming pool.

[Presenter] Thank you, Afat.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress