Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
February 16, 2005, Wednesday

“NO TALKS FOR THE SAKE OF TALKS”

SOURCE: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, February 14, 2005, pp. 1, 3

by Viktoria Panfilova

ILHAM ALIYEV ON THE KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT: POTENTIAL OF THE
PEACEKEEPING PROCESS IS NOT EXHAUSTED YET BUT WE DO NOT WANT TALKS
FOR THE SAKE OF TALKS

Here is an interview with President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on the
eve of his departure for Moscow.

Question: How will you appraise the Azerbaijani-Russian relations at
this point?

Ilham Aliyev: We regard them as a strategic partnership.

Regional stability and security depend on interaction between our
countries. Russia is a chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group mandated to
settle the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict.

Question: It is common knowledge that Moscow will back any decision
the warring sides agree on. Is Russia’s role restricted to the OSCE
Minsk Group framework or does it wield any additional clout?

Ilham Aliyev: Russia is the only chairman that has a border with
Azerbaijan, it is a regional power. Needless to say, it ups its
responsibility in the matter of conflict settlement. We believe that
the OSCE Minsk Group should first and foremost promote the principles
of international law in accordance with which territorial integrity
of every country is inviolate.

This is how we perceive settlement: territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan restored, Armenian occupation troops withdrawn from
Azerbaijani territories, and refugees back in their homes. That is
when there is going to be peace. I hope that the international
community leans towards this solution too. I even believe that the
recent activation of the OSCE Minsk Group may not be entirely
fruitless.

Question: Experts say that the latest resolution of the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe suits Azerbaijan much more than
Armenia. Will official Baku try to develop this diplomatic success
and undertake to withdraw the settlement from the framework of the
OSCE Minsk Group? Will it try to have the matter handled by the
Council of Europe and the UN?

Ilham Aliyev: We are convinced that the Minsk Group should go on
performing the functions specified by the UN and using the OSCE as a
mediator. We do not want any new mediators at this point. At the same
time, we admit that we are dissatisfied with the Minsk Group because
of the sad lack of results.

The Armenian side repeats every now and then that it is quite content
with the Minsk Group’s performance, probably because there is nothing
to show for all its efforts. Generally speaking, we do not want any
changes in the format of the settlement but we do believe that
involvement of international organizations will facilitate the peace
process. That is why we brought the matter to the attention of the UN
and Council of Europe despite Armenia’s protestations.

The European Union is more deeply involved in the problem of Karabakh
and we welcome it. It is involved through the prism of regional
economic co-operation. I would say that a broad discussion of the
matter in international structures will have its positive effect.

Question: Do you plan to discuss the matter with Putin in Moscow? He
will probably bring it up at the Russian-American summit in Slovakia
soon.

Ilham Aliyev: I would say yes. In any case, we always discuss the
matter when we meet, and the previous summit was not an exception.
Moreover, within the framework of the Armenian-Azerbaijani meeting
that took place during the CIS summit, was also attended by the
president of Russia. It shows Russia’s interest in settlement of the
conflict.

Question: Foreign Minister of Russia Sergei Lavrov visited Baku not
long ago. Reorganization of the CIS and the Karabakh problem were
reported as central issues on the agenda. There are reports, however,
that Lavrov also tried to get Azerbaijan to join the Organization of
the CIS Collective Security Treaty. Is there a kernel of truth here?

Ilham Aliyev: No, we did not even discuss it. We do not contemplate
joining the Organization of the CIS Collective Security Treaty.

Question: You recent visited Tehran. Media outlets reported that in
return for Iranian promises of economic preferences Azerbaijan
offered guarantees of non-involvement in the operation against Iran
the Pentagon was preparing. What exactly were you promised in Tehran?

Ilham Aliyev: Nothing like that was brought up in Tehran. As for the
development of bilateral relations between our countries, the visit
was quite important indeed.

As for foreign military bases on the territory of Azerbaijan, our
position on the subject is quite clear: Azerbaijan does not consider
foreign military bases on its territory expedient.

If this foreign military presence is needed to facilitate a solution
to the problem of Karabakh, well, we may give it a thought…

Question: But Azerbaijan and Armenia alike spoke of the possibility
of using force to solve the problem. I am talking about Armenian
Defense Minister Serzh Sarkisjan and Azerbaijani ex-foreign minister
Vilajat Guliyev…

Ilham Aliyev: That Azerbaijan has been discussing the matter in the
talks for over a decade already (with nothing to show for it, but
that’s Armenia’s fault) indicates that we stand for a peaceful
solution to the problem. I do not think that the potential of the
peace process has been exhausted yet. We remain hopeful.

At the same time, we do not want talks for the sake of talks. We will
not be a party to an imitation. If we find the talks pointless and
some other situation develops, the dialogue will be suspended. We are
working on our armed forces. Arms spending grew by almost 40% in
2004. We spend on defense twice as much as Armenia does. We will up
this potential yet. Economic potentials of Azerbaijan and Armenia are
incomparable, and we have not yet implemented some major economic
projects. We plan a 15% growth of the GDP this year. From the point
of view of old terms, Armenia cannot hope to withstand an arms race.