AZERI OFFICIAL DESCRIBES ARMENIAN LEADER’S KARABAKH REMARKS AS MANOEUVRING – TV

ANS TV, Azerbaijan
Dec 16 2006

[Presenter] [Armenian President] Robert Kocharyan’s statement that
talks on the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict settlement will be suspended in
connection with the [forthcoming] parliamentary elections in Armenia
is illogical. Azerbaijan states that the sides have never discussed
suspending the talks because of elections. Armenian President Robert
Kocharyan said that no active talks on the Nagornyy Karabakh problem
should be expected until the end of the parliamentary election.

Armenia will hold parliamentary elections in late 2007.

[Correspondent] I believe that Kocharyan’s statement is a message
meant for foreign states. He implies that if the international
community wants a solution to the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict, the
parliament that will endorse the settlement should be formed the
way he wants and the international community should support this,
political expert Rasim Musabayov said commenting on the latest
statement by the Armenian president.

[Musabayov] Russia’s pressure created the tendency towards concessions
at the latest stage in the talks. But Russia wanted many things from
Azerbaijan in return. Azerbaijan was supposed to join Russia in its
efforts to strangle Georgia in terms of energy supplies in the first
place. Having failed to persuade Azerbaijan, I believe, Russia has
lost its interest in progress in the talks. Kocharyan voiced the
statement precisely supported by this fact.

[Correspondent] The head of the foreign relations department at the
presidential administration, Novruz Mammadov, said Robert Kocharyan’s
statement was a sign of insincerity of the Armenian authorities in
the talks.

Novruz Mammadov, who described the statement as manoeuvring by
Kocharyan, said that the Armenian president wanted to gain points
ahead of both parliamentary and presidential elections.

[Mammadov] In general, he made an illogical statement before the
international community. He had been holding talks until yesterday,
but at the latest round of talks – the Azerbaijani president also
noted this – he requested time for some consultations, but less than
two weeks later, he made this statement.

[Correspondent] Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov said that no
formula had been considered at the latest round of talks stipulating
the suspension of the discussions.

[Azimov] First, this statement of the Armenian side has not been
discussed beforehand with the opposite side – Azerbaijan. Second,
we have received no information to that effect from the [OSCE Minsk
Group] co-chairmen.

[Correspondent] Progress in the talks after Kocharyan’s statement
will depend on whether the co-chairmen can influence Armenia.