AZERBAIJAN TO REVIEW POLICY SHOULD ARMENIA DISRUPT PEACE PROCESS, PRESIDENT SAYS
AzTV Baku
16 Mar 06
President Ilham Aliyev has said that Azerbaijan wants to resolve
peacefully the conflict over the disputed region of Nagornyy Karabakh
but it may rethink its policy if Armenia disrupts the peace talks,
the state-run AzTV reported on 16 March.
In a live address to the Baku-hosted second congress of Azeris of
the world, the president said: “If we see that the peace process is
being undermined by Armenia…, then of course, Azerbaijan will have
to reconsider its participation in the peace process.”
“Over the past 12 years we have shown loyalty to the peace talks
despite the failed attempts to resolve the conflict. There has been
a cease-fire regime between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the past 12
years. We are taking part in the talks because we are still hoping
to achieve certain results. But how long will this continue? This
process cannot go on forever. The patience of the Azerbaijani people
and authorities is being tested… Our participation in the peace
talks once again confirmed our resolve to settle the problem not
militarily, but peacefully. We have channelled all our efforts into
this. If we see that Armenia’s position at the talks is insincere and
not constructive, if we see the international community being deceived
and misinformed by Armenia – we will have no choice…. Azerbaijan
will not participate in the talks for the sake of talks,” Aliyev said.
The president called for the Armenian withdrawal from the occupied
territories and the return of Azerbaijanis to their homeland, including
to Nagornyy Karabakh.
“Normal relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan can be restored only
after this. Only then will the peace process be possible. We will not
allow Nagornyy Karabakh to part with Azerbaijan today, tomorrow, in a
decade or in a century. We are the victims of the conflict. Armenia
had carried out an ethnic cleansing policy against us for which it
should answer before the international community,” the president said.