ArmenPress
March 14 2005

AZERI PRESIDENT SAYS NO ROOM FOR COMPROMISE ON NAGORNO KARABAGH

BAKU, MARCH 14, ARMENPRESS: Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev
said Saturday that his country is not ready for any compromise with
Armenia over Nagorno-Karabagh, and reiterated accusations that
Armenia has occupied its lands, which he said “cannot be the subject
of bargaining.”
Aliyev said Azerbaijan will not change its position on the
conflict. “There can be no talk of mutual compromises. That was a
mistaken thesis,” Aliyev told journalists, referring to international
mediators’ statements that compromise is necessary to settle the
dispute.
“The only thing we can do is discuss security guarantees for
ethnic Armenians who would be allowed to live in Nagorno Karabakh if
it were placed under Azerbaijani control,” he said.
“We do not want a new war, we know that it would be a catastrophe,
but everyone should know that we have to be prepared for it. We have
to liberate our lands, we are not going to cede them to anyone and
will restore our territorial integrity at whatever the price is,” he
said.
Aliyev said he would not oppose a new meeting with Armenian
President Robert Kocharian to discuss the dispute, but said that the
countries’ foreign ministers would have to make progress toward a
potential solution before a meeting can be held. Progress is
contingent on Armenia taking a “constructive position,” he said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress