AZERBAIJANI FOREIGN MINISTER POSTPONES VISIT TO WASHINGTON

ARMENPRESS
Apr 23 2007

BAKU, APRIL 23, ARMENPRESS: Azerbaijani foreign ministry said Sunday
foreign minister Elmar Mamedyarov postponed a visit to the United
States, that was to start today, after the U.S. Department of State
introduced changes to a phraseology describing Azerbaijan’s dispute
with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh.

A statement by Azerbaijani foreign ministry warned that the issue "may
become a serious impediment to further security-related cooperation
between our countries," a possible reference to Azerbaijan’s
contribution to the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq.

The statement claimed that the changes "distort the essence of the
Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict" and their introduction
"puts in doubt the U.S. position of an ‘honest peace broker’ in the
resolution of the conflict."

Though the statement did not offer details, it implicated changes in
the U.S. Department of State report on Azerbaijan, posted on the State
Department Web site, which stated originally that in 2006 "Armenia
continued to occupy the Azerbaijani territory of Nagorno-Karabakh
and seven surrounding Azerbaijani territories," a wording that is
apparently acceptable to Azerbaijan.

But the changed section reads; "Armenian forces occupy large portions
of Azerbaijani territory adjacent to Nagorno-Karabakh. Armenian
officials maintain that they do not ‘occupy’ Nagorno-Karabakh itself."

The change was also confirmed by Armenian foreign minister Vartan
Oskanian last week.

The Azerbaijani statement said resolution of the conflict "based on
the territorial integrity of …

Azerbaijan, with Nagorno-Karabakh as its inalienable part, is a
primary and foremost element" in its security cooperation with the
United States.