ALIYEV: “EVERYBODY KNOWS, ARMENIA COULD NEVER OCCUPY OUR TERRITORIES WITHOUT RUSSIAN ARMY’S ASSISTANCE”

Regnum, Russia
April 27 2006

“We hope, that USA as a superpower and co-Chair of OCSI Minsk Group
will contribute to Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement, and peace
will be finally established in the region,” President of Azerbaijan
Ilham Aliyev stated in Washington. “Karabakh is the main question,
which hinders in Azerbaijan’s development, excepting this, we are
quite okay: the budget is growing, energy programs are expanding,”
Aliyev stressed speaking at the Foreign Affairs Council.

Answering the question, to what extent Armenia, which has won the
war, is ready, in Aliyev’s opinion, to compromise, the Azerbaijani
president stated: “First of all, from my point of view, Armenia
has not won the war. Perhaps, the country achieved some advantages
with considerable assistance of other states. Everybody knows that
Armenia could never occupy our territories without Russian army’s
assistance, which played a vital part. Nevertheless, the war is not
over.” “I think it is time for the Armenian authorities to imagine,
what it will be with the country in five, ten or fifteen years, if
the conflict is not settled. Azerbaijani people’s patience is not
everlasting,” Aliyev stated. According to him, “Azerbaijan’s future
is rather clear; our country will be strong, prosperous, with strong
economy and society. Azerbaijan will become a country, with which it
will be worthy to be a neighbor or not to be at all.”

According to Aliyev, peace is profitable for all the parties. In
exchange for compromises, Armenia will get communication ways, a way
out to Russia, and a very important circumstance – the country will
be able to participate in regional projects and developments. As for
Nagorno Karabakh population, it will obtain a right for peaceful and
legal life, Aliyev stressed. “Our position in the question is very
clear: the conflict should be resolved in context of Azerbaijan’s
territorial integrity. Nagorno Karabakh population will receive right
for high level of autonomy in the framework of Azerbaijani territorial
integrity. They should receive rather clear political guarantees, that
there will be eternal peace in the region,” head of the Azerbaijani
state pointed out.

It should be mentioned, American mediator on Karabakh settlement
Steven Mann, who was present during Aliyev’s speech, stated that “it
is important to reject attempts to solve existing questions quickly
and finally. Reverse approach should be preferred – to move slowly
and to put some complicated questions aside,” Radio Liberty informs.