Karabakh ex-defence chief offers Azerbaijan dialogue

Karabakh ex-defence chief offers Azerbaijan dialogue

Arminfo
3 Dec 04

YEREVAN

The former commander of the defence army of [Azerbaijan’s breakaway]
Nagornyy Karabakh Republic, Lt-Gen Samvel Babayan, who has been
released from custody before the expiry of his prison term, does not
link his premature release to the process of a peaceful solution to
the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict.

In an interview with Iravunk newspaper, he said that his release has
nothing to do either with the settlement or with any other political
issue. Nobody negotiated with him in this regard and no agreement was
reached.

“Nevertheless, I don’t think that the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict will
be resolved soon,” Babayan said. He did not agree with the term
“Nagornyy Karabakh conflict”, calling it an all-Armenian problem. The
resolution of the problem is being dealt with through negotiations,
“on which I would not elaborate”.

It is necessary to search for new ways of solving the conflict. The
general said the dialogue between Baku and Stepanakert is
appropriate. The obstacle to the negotiations is the very fact that
official Stepanakert is not involved in them, Babayan stressed.