Azeri Foreign Ministry protests at British MPs’ Karabakh visit

Ekspress, Baku
27 Oct 04

Text of Alakbar Raufoglu’s report by Azerbaijani newspaper Ekspress
on 27 October headlined “Baku sends a note to London” and subheaded
“Baroness Cox makes Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry sick and tired”

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has sent a note of protest to
Britain over a visit to Nagornyy Karabakh by Deputy Speaker of the
British House of Lords Baroness Caroline Cox, Foreign Minister Elmar
Mammadyarov has told Ekspress newspaper.

“We have given special instructions to our embassy in London in
connection with the issue and have voiced our protest to the British
side. This was done by means of a note and at individual meetings. We
think that official London should voice its attitude to the incident,”
Mammadyarov said.

In its note, the Foreign Ministry noted British MPs’ illegal visit to
Karabakh and demanded an end to such visits. It also voiced regret
over Baroness Cox’s continuous visits to the occupied territories
of Azerbaijan.

“She has never appealed to us over her visits to Karabakh. She has
been travelling to the occupied territories for more than 10 years but
we have not been informed about this. This runs counter to official
London’s relations with Azerbaijan and its position on the Karabakh
conflict,” Mammadyarov said.

Despite the baroness’ disrespect, Azerbaijan has repeatedly asked
her to revise the route of her trips to Karabakh. “We have always
suggested that they travel [to Karabakh] from here. We are ready to
do our best for this,” Mammadyarov said.

As for the impossibility of travelling to Karabakh from Azerbaijan,
Mammadyarov said that not Azerbaijan but the Karabakh separatists are
to blame for that as it is “the occupying side which makes these trips
impossible”. “They have planted mines on the occupied territories,
thus creating dangerous conditions,” he said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress