PanArmenian News
March 19 2005

OSCE MG HAS NOT ATTAINED ANY POSITIVE OUTCOME IN KARABAKH SETTLEMENT,
AZERI DEFENSE MINISTER CONSIDERS

19.03.2005 03:33

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ «While Azeri lands are occupied by Armenia,
Azerbaijan will not agree to any peace with that country,» Azeri
Defense Minister Safar Abiyev stated at a meeting with Commander of
the US Oklahoma State National Guard, Major General Harry White,
Trend news agency reported. «I note with regret that the OSCE Minsk
Group, which deals with the conflict settlement, has not attained any
positive outcome yet. A considerable number of arms and ammunition is
accumulated in the occupied Azeri lands, which poses threat to the
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan main export oil pipeline, which will start
operating soon. We expect much of the US Ambassador to the Minsk
Group in the conflict settlement,» S. Abiyev said. In H. White’s
words, «the new period will open new opportunities, Azerbaijan will
turn into a leading state in the South Caucasus.» He said Oklahoma
State is ready to share defense experience. S. Abiyev noted that the
basic interests of Azerbaijan and the US coincide, and that after
«the liberation of the lands seized by Armenia,» Azerbaijan will
develop faster and will become a leading state in the South Caucasus.