ARMENIAN MINISTER BURNS THE BRIDGES
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
March 16 2006
Baku, March 15, AssA-Irada
Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian has made an outrageous
statement, alleging that Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh has never been part
of Azerbaijan, which could jeopardize the ongoing talks to settle
over a decade-long dispute.
“Garabagh is Armenian land. Armenians have lived here for thousands
of years and defended their sovereignty,” he maintained.
The minister stated that his country had allegedly never put forth any
territorial claims in the official meetings and that “it is impossible”
for Garabagh to be under Azerbaijan’s control.
“Azerbaijan has no moral right to claim Upper Garabagh, as it tried
to take over these territories through military interference several
times in 1990s. If Armenians had not taken the needed steps, there
would not be a single Armenian left there by now,” Oskanian alleged.
Azeri officials have repeatedly stated that the country’s territorial
integrity could not be bargained upon and that any solution to the
dispute must envision liberation of Azeri land from under Armenian
occupation and the return of refugees home.