AZERBAIJAN PROTESTS AT FORMER RUSSIAN KARABAKH MEDIATOR’S REMARKS – TV
ANS TV, Baku
20 May 06
[Presenter] Vladimir Kazimirov, a former Russian co-chairman of the
OSCE Minsk Group who mostly sides with Armenians and who is known for
his pro-Armenian statements, has made a new statement, causing serious
dissatisfaction. Azerbaijan was so displeased with the statement
that the Russian charge d’affaires to Azerbaijan, Pyotr Burdykin,
was summoned to the Foreign Ministry.
[Correspondent over archive footage] Vladimir Kazimirov’s latest
statement represents a dangerous trend that could deal a serious blow
to both the peaceful settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict
and Russian-Azerbaijani relations, said Novruz Mammadov, head of the
foreign relations department of the Presidential Executive Staff.
Kazimirov threw into question UN principles on national rights and
the inviolability of borders, which were confirmed by the Helsinki
Agreement signed in 1948.
Kazimirov said, quote, these principles do not work today. But
[Azerbaijani President] Ilham Aliyev believes in these principles as
dogmas, which is why he is in an impasse now. I do not even mention
that the war rhetoric undermines the basic moral premises of society
and adversely affects the psychology of the young generation, unquote.
[Passage omitted]
Mammadov believes that such statements, which could hamper the
settlement of the conflict, cannot coincide with the positions of
Russia and other co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group.
Pyotr Burdykin, head of Russia’s diplomatic mission in Azerbaijan,
today was summoned to the Foreign Ministry in connection with
Kazimirov’s statement. Baku expressed its dissatisfaction verbally
to Burdykin.
Tahir Tagizada, head of the ministry’s media and information
department, told ANS that Deputy Foreign Minister Xalaf Xalafov had
informed the Russian charge d’affaires of Azerbaijan’s dissatisfaction.
Tagizada said Burdykin had promised to relay Baku’s official position
to Moscow and inform the Azerbaijani side of measures to be taken in
connection with Kazimirov’s statement.