AZERBAIJAN IS COUNT OF EU SUPPORT FOR NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
March 22 2007

Belgium, Brussels / corr. Trend R.Emilli / The Deputy Foreign Minister
of Azerbaijan, Araz Azimov, said at the press conference in Brussels
that Azerbaijan should become closer to a new stage of relations with
EU as partners and as partners integrated as a whole, Trend Special
Correspondent reports.

" Azerbaijan and other partner nations could build up mutually
effective and beneficial relations, probably serving the goal of
development and progress in the South Caucasus," he said. According to
him, within his visit to Brussels, he also reported on the policies
of Azerbaijan, regional concerns and risks. "We have concluded a
memorandum on energy partnership between the EU and Azerbaijan in
November last year. Today we are implementing this memorandum which
will take Azerbaijan to a better place in terms of development of
internal infrastructures as well as energy saving policies and the
search for alternative energy sources as well as to develop democratic
majors in energy market inside," Azimov said.

"Relations with neighboring countries and that is to be said that
we are concerned with the developments on the south. And we hope
that issues will be solved peacefully. We are concerned with the
situation in our conflict zone and we hope that we can count on the
support of the EU and for which I was pledged by the way, in terms
of political settlement. A settlement that will bring Azerbaijan and
Armenia together as one region of Karabakh within the territorially
integrally Azerbaijan provided with self rule states and making
outreach economically and culturally to international community.

Guarantees for that will be provided by international community jointly
including by EU. Azerbaijan is ready to contribute. There is no war
solution to the conflict. But probably Azerbaijan will continue to
stand of the principled position. Any territorial secession will
not be accepted. There is only one chance to build peace. That is
within the territorial framework of Azerbaijan. That should clearly be
explained and understood by the Armenian side. I hope that there shall
be pluralism in Armenia about solutions of the conflict and I hope
that at least a few people there will speak in favour of peace with
Azerbaijan and in favour of a settlement on the basis of principles,"
Azimov said.