ARMENIA, AZERBAIJAN PRESIDENTS DISCUSS NAGORNY KARABAKH SITUATION

ITAR-TASS, Russia
June 6 2006

BUCHAREST, June 6 (Itar-Tass) — Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan,
Robert Kocharyan and Ilkham Aliyev, on Monday exchanged opinions
regarding the current situation and prospects for settlement of
conflict in the ethnic enclave of Karabakh, a mostly Armenian-populated
region of Azerbaijan.

They presented opinions on this problem while taking part in The
Black Sea Dialogue and Partnership forum that opened here on Monday.

“Armenia is ready to continue dialogue with Azerbaijan, to find the
ways of settling the conflict situation in Nagorny Karabakh and to
formulate its relations with Turkey,” Kocharyan said.

“The people of Nagorny Karabakh chose their destiny during a referendum
that was held in compliance with the norms of international law,”
he went on saying.

“However, the population of Karabakh was forced to fight for the
right to self-determination with arms in the hand,” Kocharian said.

“This process was accentuated by disintegration of the former Soviet
Union.”

“Residents of Nagorny Karabakh continued their fight for independence
during the last 15 years,” Kocharyan said. “A whole generation, which
sees itself as ‘successor to and fighter for self-determination and
independence’, has grown to maturity in Nagorny Karabakh.”

Aliyev, in his turn, pointed out that his country’s territorial
integrity was recognized by all countries and the United Nations.

“We’re satisfied with the resoluteness expressed by the world community
to settling the Karabakh conflict on the basis of the UN resolution,”
Aliyev said.

He reiterated that “under the resolution, the Armenian troops should
be withdrawn from the Nagorny Karabakh territory.”

“We’re also satisfied with the position of other international
organizations on this issue and we support the Armenians’ right to
self-determination and independence,” Aliyev said. “But we believe the
self-determination process should not be implemented in the territory
of Azerbaijan,” he said.

Many Armenian diasporas live all over the world, and we realize what
could have happened if everyone of them had spoken in favor of the
right to independence, Aliyev said.

“We begin a peaceful process together with Armenia, but we believe that
Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity is not a theme for discussions,”
Aliyev said.

“Peace settlement in Karabakh will be helpful for stability,
integration and emergence of new possibilities for cooperation [in
the region],” Aliyev said.