AZERBAIJAN REACTS TO ALLEGED PEACE DEAL ON KARABAKH

ArmenPress
July 13 2005

BAKU, JULY 13, ARMENPRESS: Azerbaijani mass media reacted strongly
to a RFE/RL report saying that Armenian and Azerbaijani authorities
were close to hammering out a peace deal over the long-running
dispute on Karabakh. RFE/RL reported citing a diplomatic source in
Armenia that at the heart of the idea is a referendum in which the
Karabakh Armenians will decide whether they want to be independent,
become a part of Armenia or return under Azerbaijani rule in return
for immediate return of five Armenian-controlled Azerbaijani regions.

It said the referendum would be held within 10 to 15 years from the
signing of a peace agreement and would follow the return of five of the
seven occupied Azerbaijani districts around Karabakh. An Azerbaijani
daily 525 gazet quoted a number of local analysts as saying that
referendum would actually mean final loss of Nagorno-Karabakh.

“The official Baku realizes well all negative consequences of a
referendum , but it is the West that wants a peace agreement as soon as
possible. If president Aliyev agrees to it, contrary to Azerbaijan’s
national interests, he will receive the West’s support ahead of
parliamentary elections in autumn,’ the daily writes concluding
that the West would close its eye to all vote rigging and human
rights abuses, as it was in 2003 presidential polls. It also quotes
a political analyst, Vafa Guluzade, as saying that Azerbaijan must
not agree to holding referendum. ‘Armenians have already conducted
referendum and there is no doubt that they will again vote in favor
of their independence from Azerbaijan,’ he says.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress