Azeri official downplays Armenia’s threats to quit peace talks

Bilik Dunyasi news agency
16 Sep 05

Baku, 16 September: The latest statement of the press secretary of the
Armenian Foreign Ministry, Gamlet Gasparyan, on the Nagornyy Karabakh
process is nothing but a diplomatic trick and manoeuvring, the head of
the foreign relations department of the Azerbaijani presidential
administration, Novruz Mammadov, has said.

Gasparyan said that “our position remains unchanged. If Azerbaijan
raises any issue with the UN, Armenia will quit the Nagornyy Karabakh
peace talks and Baku will have to negotiate directly” with Xankandi
[Stepanakert].

Mammadov was commenting on the inclusion of the issue “On the
situation in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan” on the agenda of
the 60th session of the UN General Assembly.

“Behind this message is Armenia’s great anxiety. The matter is that
Azerbaijan’s position on the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani
Nagornyy Karabakh conflict has become very strong and is supported by
international organizations and states. The inclusion of the issue ‘On
the situation in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan’ on the agenda
of the 60th session is a logical consequence of this. There is nothing
unusual here. This is our right,” Mammadov said.

Armenia sees that Azerbaijan’s stand on the Nagornyy Karabakh
settlement is getting more support from the international community
and is trying to threaten Azerbaijan that they will stop the
negotiations, step aside and involve the Armenians of Nagornyy
Karabakh in direct talks.

“First, it is not so easy to avoid the talks. The territories are
under occupation and negotiations are continuing. Armenia is in a
desperate position and may be looking for an excuse. Second, if
Armenia indeed wants to quit the talks and Yerevan officially declares
its withdrawal from the Nagornyy Karabakh issue, we will find a chance
to talk to the Armenians of Nagornyy Karabakh. We can do it and there
is no problem about that,” Mammadov added.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress