Azerbaijan will not concede territorial integrity – President

Baku, May 16, AssA-Irada

Azerbaijan will never make concessions on its territorial integrity,
President Ilham Aliyev said addressing the third summit of the Council
of Europe states in Warsaw on Monday.

Aliyev said that development in the region is impossible without
peace and stability. The dire aftermath of Armenia’s occupation
has not been eliminated yet and this country blatantly violates CE
principles. The resolution passed by the Parliamentary Assembly of
the Council of Europe on Upper Garabagh in January will assist in
settling the Upper Garabagh conflict, he said.

“We are ready to grant a high status to Upper Garabagh Armenians
but will never make concessions on our sovereignty and territorial
integrity”, the President said.

Aliyev further demanded all international organizations to pay more
attention to the problem and make efforts to end Armenian occupation.

Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian speaking afterwards said
that terming Armenia as aggressor is inappropriate.

“In reality, Armenia did not occupy Azerbaijan’s land.

Armenia is taking part in the talks because Azerbaijan refuses
to negotiate with Upper Garabagh as a party.” Oskanian added that
‘Upper Garabagh cannot be an autonomous republic within Azerbaijan
and should be a separate state’.*