Meeting between presidents needed to settle Karabakh – Azeri foreign minister

Azad Azarbaycan TV, Baku
23 Apr 05

[Presenter] There is a need for a meeting between the Azerbaijani and
Armenian presidents to settle the Nagornyy Karabakh problem. There are
also grounds for this, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov
has said. Mammadyarov added that after several meetings, the
settlement process can enter a new stage where the dialogue will be
held by experts.

[Correspondent] The format of the [London] meeting between the
Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers was changed at the request
by the OSCE co-chairs, Mammadyarov said. The co-chairs believe that
this format will help speed up the talks, he added.

[Mammadyarov speaking to reporters] I did not meet the Armenian
foreign minister at the request of the co-chairs. They think that the
talks could be stepped up and developed in this way. They met Vardan
Oskanyan on 14 April and me on 15 April. We are waiting to see what
results this will produce on 27 April. The co-chairs say that they
were inspired by the results of our talks in Prague. So they proposed
this format.

[Correspondent] The minister also said that the discussions are
expected to be continued by experts. However, the foreign ministers
have to meet several times before that and prepare the details that
will be discussed.

[Mammadyarov] In general, we discussed when we should hand over the
discussions to experts. But I think we need to hold several more
meetings, after which the experts will join in to discuss the
details. We also have to decide how we are going to do this and
where. We had good talks in London. We will continue the talks in
Frankfurt.

[Correspondent] Mr Mammadyarov says there are already grounds for a
meeting between the presidents. The heads of state last met in Astana
several months ago, he said, adding that if progress is made at the
meetings between the ministers, the issue will be discussed at a
higher level.

The minister said that the co-chairs did not come up with new
proposals, but put forward certain elements during the London
talks. It would not be right to say whose interests these elements
meet, he said, adding that Azerbaijan’s position remains unchanged.

[Mammadyarov] Every president and everybody agrees that one cannot
change the borders using a Kalashnikov assault rifle. No-one will
allow this to happen. Of course, they [Armenians] must withdraw from
the occupied territories and internally displaced persons should
return to their homes. If we speak about integration into Europe, the
three South Caucasus countries should work on this. In this regard,
it is impossible to pursue a policy of occupation.

[Correspondent] Mammadyarov said that the compromise official Baku can
make is granting a high degree of autonomy to Nagornyy Karabakh. We
accept the Karabakh Armenians as Azerbaijani citizens. So Nagornyy
Karabakh’s Azerbaijani community should also return to its land, end
quote.