Vardan Oskanian: Azerbaijan Should Concentrate On Processes Within Framework Of Minsk Group

Noyan Tapan

YEREVAN, 24.11.04. Armenia’s position regarding putting the issue of
“occupied” territories of Azerbaijan to the agenda of the UN General
Assembly sitting on the demand of the latter is clear enough, this
step taken by Azerbaijan is wrong and they will understand this in
the future. Vardan Oskanian, RA Foreign Minister, declared this
during the November 23 press conference.

According to him, Armenia isn”t anxious about the issue of adoption
of the resolution connected with the above-mentioned territories. “We
are anxious about the political process around the issue of
settlement of Karabakh conflict. If such a resolution passes in UN
Armenia can”t continue bilateral negotiations with Azerbaijan any
longer.”

The Minister mentioned that if after the adoption of the resolution
in UN Azerbaijan is ready to hold negotiations with Nagorno Karabakh,
Armenia will continue participating in the negotiations, but
Azerbaijan should hold the main negotiations with the Nagorno
Karabakh authorities.

As for the possibility of adoption of such a resolution, Vardan
Oskanian mentioned that judging by the UN site, only Turkey has been
supporting Azerbaijan by now. “I think this is significant, we should
wait for the results.”

According to him, Azerbaijan mainly accentuates the issue of
settlement of the so-called “occupied territories.”But neither
Armenia nor Nagorno Karabakh have any problem with a mission of the
observer. “Azerbaijan itself hampered implementation of such
missions. Today Armenia has no such problem, on the contrary, we have
always invited the international community to come and estimate the
situation on the spot. Such a mission is also beneficial for us,
Armenians, in order that we should straightly raise the questions of
residents of Shahumian, Getashen, as some of them are forced to live
in these territories at present.”

Meanwhile, as Vardan Oskanian emphasized. the very Minsk Group has
the corresponding mandate for holding such a monitoring and Armenia
and Nagorno Karabakh are ready to assist to implementation of such a
mission within the framework of this group. “But it’s not up to UN to
decide the issue of the mission.”

According to the Minister, if Azerbaijan seriously treats the issue
if negotiations and wants to achieve positive results it should
refuse of such accents and concentrate on the processes taking place
within the framework of the Minsk Group.