AZERBAIJAN KEEN TO LIBERATE ARMENIAN-OCCUPIED TERRITORY – SENIOR STATE OFFICER

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
April 26 2007

Azerbaijan, Baku / corr Trend S.Agayeva / Novruz Mammadov, the
head of the Foreign Relations Department, stated on 26 April that
Azerbaijan wants total liberation from Armenian occupation, of both
Nagorno-Karabakh and its surrounding districts.

The comments were made in reply to a statement by the US Ambassador
Matthew Bryza, the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair, who said that major
principles of talks envisages the withdrawal and return to Azerbaijan
of troops from 5 occupied districts attached to Nagorno-Karabakh,
placement of peacekeeping forces and the repatriation of refugees
and internally displaced people.

Mammadov said that the Azerbaijan President has, on numerous
occasions, stated Azerbaijan’s position in this respect which remains
unchanged. Despite different statements by the OSCE Minsk Group
co-chairs Azerbaijan retains its position on the liberation of its
occupied territory, he stated.