Ilham Aliyev: "Armenia as well as MG co-chairs know that Nagorno Garabagh will never be granted status of independence"

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
July 10 2006

[ 10 Jul. 2006 20:41 ]

"Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan is efficient project from economic and all
viewpoints. We worked and implemented this jumbo project together.

This will enable us to deliver the Caspian Sea oil to the world
market. This pipeline, of course, is of great importance for other
countries and companies. Kazakhstan’s joining this project proved
this fact once more. Some resisting forces said that this project
is economically groundless and inefficient," Azerbaijani president
Ilham Aliyev told Turkish Cumhuriyyet newspaper, APA reports.

Touching on Armenian lobbies’ impeding implementation of
Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Baku railway project, he said that Armenian
lobbies are in animosity against Azerbaijan and Turkey.

"It is reality and truth. Look, Armenian lobby was actively against BTC
project and even sent letters to and exerted pressure on international
organizations financing this project. But Azerbaijan’s and Turkey’s
will and Georgia’s activity didn’t allow them to achieve their
goals. I am sure that we will implement Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Baku
railway project too despite their efforts. They can exert pressure
on the foreign financial organizations but now we don’t need these
organizations. Azerbaijan is and will be much stronger and have strong
position in the region.

Armenia is and will be isolated from the international projects and
their condition will go from bad to worse".

Touching on recent proposals of OSCE Minsk Group’s statement, Mr.

Aliytev said that the proposals belong to the MG.

"We haven’t come to agreement. We are far from agreement. Only there
are some certain proposals. We don’t object to OSCE MG’s publicizing
the proposals as we never were in favor of confidentiality in the
talks. We agreed to confidentiality taking the opposite side’s offer
into account".

Saying territorial integrity of Azerbaijan has to be restored, Mr.

Aliyev noted that no compromise can be made in this issue.

"the occupied lands have to be liberated, eliminated from the
occupier forces, Azerbaijani refugees and IDPs have to return to
their homelands. As to the future status of Garabagh, opinion of
Azerbaijani and Armenian communities living in Garabagh can be taken
into consideration. Before the war, Azerbaijanis and Armenians lived in
Garabagh. Azerbaijanis’ returning to Nagorno Garabagh is a stipulation,
they have to be settled there and after that the communities and
Azerbaijan can solve the problem on the status of N.

Garabagh as it is integral part of Azerbaijan. The future will show
how much time the talks will take.

We will not allow violation of Azerbaijan’s territorial wholeness,
decision on separation of Garabagh from Azerbaijan. MG co-chairs
and Armenian leadership knows that. Simply, Armenian side brings up
points not corresponding with the reality. Azerbaijan’s territorial
integrity is not an issue to discuss and the status of independence
will never be granted to Nagorno Garabagh".

Saying international community recognizes N. Garabagh as a part of
Azerbaijan, he noted that the UNO and others recognize territorial
wholeness with Garabagh is a part of it.

"In this case, independence can’t be discussed. There is practice
of minorities’ living norms. Authority exists in some countries of
Europe. Why does N.Garabagh differ? Why the territory in which national
minorities live should be separated from Azerbaijan and declared
independent? We will never allow this, nobody, no organization no
country will ever recognize Nagorno Garabagh’s independence". /APA/