AZERI PRESIDENTIAL AIDE SAYS EU ENVOY’S KARABAKH REMARKS “POLITICAL PRESSURE”
Azad Azarbaycan TV, Baku
25 Mar 06
[Presenter] The fact that the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict has not
been resolved benefits neither Azerbaijan nor Armenia, the EU special
envoy for the South Caucasus, Peter Semneby, has told Radio Liberty.
He believes that Armenia will remain isolated if the conflict
continues, while Azerbaijan’s efforts to resolve the problem in
a military way may lead to serious consequences. The diplomat has
warned that these kinds of efforts could be abortive. He said that
a military solution to the conflict may undermine the investment
climate in Azerbaijan and discredit the country as a partner.
Baku views this kind of statement as a means of political and
psychological pressure only. The head of the foreign relations
department of the Azerbaijani Presidential Executive Staff, Novruz
Mammadov, has said that if the resumption of hostilities threatens
Azerbaijan’s image as a partner, then European entities must never
cooperate with Armenia, which has occupied the territories of its
neighbour.
[Correspondent, over video of Semneby speaking in Baku, Mammadov]
Peter Semneby’s remarks on the resolution of the Nagornyy Karabakh
conflict are designed to put psychological and political pressure on
Baku. Novruz Mammadov believes that any international organization
interested in a peaceful solution to the conflict should take a just
position instead of using methods of warning and pressure.
[Novruz Mammadov, captioned, shown speaking] They want to influence
Azerbaijan in a certain way by this message. I believe that there is
no need for it. If Azerbaijan can indeed discredit itself as a partner
if it starts war to liberate its own lands, how come that Armenia
occupied Azerbaijani territories in a war and has kept them under
occupation for 15 years, but this has not discredited Armenia anyhow?
[Correspondent] Mammadov said that the Azerbaijani government was not
interested in a military solution either. However, Baku will use all
the resources to secure its territorial integrity.
[Novruz Mammadov] The Armenian side wishes to legalize the occupation
of the territories and appropriate them. The involvement of the world
community and international organizations in the conflict resolution
has failed to produce positive results so far. War will bring no good
to Azerbaijan or the South Caucasus. You know, war never brings good
to anyone. On the other side, a lot of investments have been made in
Azerbaijan. Billions of investments have been made here and nobody
wishes that those investments be squandered. Neither do we.
[Correspondent] Mammadov commended the EU’s activity in the resolution
of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict, but stressed that Baku’s biggest
concession was its participation in the peace talks.
Therefore, international organizations should persuade Yerevan to
give up its non-constructive stand.