Azeri ex-aide says USA to resolve Karabakh conflict

Ekspress, Baku
24 Dec 04 p 3

Excerpt from Alakbar Raufoglu’s report by Azerbaijani newspaper
Ekspress on 24 December headlined “The Kremlin denies its interference
in the Karabakh conflict” and subheaded “Vladimir Putin: ‘Armenia is a
strategic partner of Russia, and Azerbaijan is a friend'”, “Russia will
continue its military presence in Armenia”. Subheading as published:

“There is a problem in the Nagornyy Karabakh settlement,” Russian
President Vladimir Putin told a news conference in the Kremlin
yesterday when he was asked about the Karabakh conflict by an Armenian
journalist.

[Passage omitted: reported details]

Vafa Quluzada: “Russia does not regard Armenia as a state”

Putin’s remarks have not been accepted unequivocally in Azerbaijan.

“Russia feigns ignorance. By presenting Russia simply as a mediator in
this conflict, Putin actually feigns ignorance. Meanwhile, the whole
world knows that it is Russia itself which has occupied our lands,”
the former state policy adviser, Vafa Quluzada, has told Ekspress.

He thinks that the Russian president’s statement was aimed at
correcting the opinions of [Russian State Duma Speaker Boris] Gryzlov
about Armenia’s being an outpost [of Russia in the South Caucasus].

“Russia does not actually regard Armenia as a state and uses the
Armenians as a tool. Because all their economic, military and other
spheres are in Russia’s hands. Putin simply did not want to insult
the Armenians.”

Quluzada described Moscow’s role in the Karabakh settlement as an
“empty view”. The political scientist thinks if Azerbaijan wants
to resolve the conflict, then it should forget about the OSCE Minsk
Group. “It is an ineffective organization.”

Quluzada thinks that only the USA has the key to the problem.

“I state with full responsibility that the USA will resolve the
Karabakh conflict. Simply, the time has not come for this yet. However,
the time is already approaching,” the former state policy adviser said.