The Messenger, Georgia
Dec 3 2004
Aliev’s accuses Armenia of stymieing negotiations
According to the Azeri newspaper 525 Gazeta, during a visit by the
OSCE’s special representative on the Karabakh conflict Goran
Lennmarker, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliev stated that despite
negotiations between leaders of the two countries, attempts to settle
the Karabakh conflict still have no results. Aliev blamed Armenia for
not taking serious steps to solve the conflict and for repeatedly
trying to postpone talks.
“The Azeri side wants the quickest possible settlement of this issue
through peaceful means, however, the conflict can be solved only
adhering to international standards, on the basis of the principles
of territorial integrity and the inviolability of countries’
borders,” Aliev stressed, adding that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
will still be resolved in the near future.
Aliev welcomed the involvement of the Council of Europe and other
international organizations in the settlement of the conflict.
Simultaneously, Aliev said that the OSCE’s Minsk group has the
mandate to settle this problem and he expressed his hope that the
Minsk Group will become more active in this direction.
On his part, Goran Lennmarker said that after meeting with many
people in Karabakh as well as with the people of other occupied
regions of Azerbaijan, he is sure that this conflict will be solved
in the near future by all means. He thinks that the international
community and organizations should strengthen their attention so to
resolve the conflict peacefully as soon as possible.
Aliev also met with UN High Commissioner for Refugees Ruud Lubbers.
According to Aliev, his government is doing its best to completely
close refugee and IDP camps and locate new homes for them. Aliev
stressed that this issue is a humanitarian crisis that has serious
economic and social consequences.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress