BAKU: Aliyev:”If We See Armenia’s Participation In Settlement Proces

ALIYEV: “IF WE SEE ARMENIA’S PARTICIPATION IN THE SETTLEMENT PROCESS IS OF IMITATIVE CHARACTER, WE WILL STOP TALKS”

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
March 16 2006

“Azerbaijani Army’s budget will exceed Armenia’s state budget in
a few years. Military expenditures allocated from the state budget
were increased by 70% last year and 100% this year,” President Ilham
Aliyev said in the World Azerbaijanis Congress II (APA).

Mr. Aliyev said that besides continuation of peaceful negotiations
for the settlement of the Nagorno Garabagh conflict, the army should
be reinforced.

“Azerbaijan has been living at cease-fire for 12 years, we have not
achieved peace yet. Peaceful talks are ongoing. But Armenia are
avoiding from this process in different forms. We are concerned
to continue negotiations. But if we see Armenia’s participation
in the settlement process is of imitative character and Yerevan is
not frank, we will stop negotiations. Azerbaijan wants the Nagorno
Garabagh conflict to be solved within international legal norms
which recognizes Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. The processes
have changed in favor of Azerbaijan recently and we will achieve
liberation of our lands”.