AZG Armenian Daily #083, 05/05/2007

Armneia-Azerbaijan-Karabakh

ARMENIA’S POSITION HAS NOT CHANGED WHILE ALIEV DISPLAYS FORGETFULNESS

"For more than 10 years we have implemented policy of peace
negotiations and have been seriously concerned about their results. We
are advocates of peace negotiations, but we must be ready to take our
lands by force any moment," said lately President of Azerbaijan Ilham
Aliev, displaying incredible forgetfulness.

Azeri mass media assures that the President of Azerbaijan stressed the
importance of "the $1 million budget of the army of Azerbaijan." "We
have purchased a large amount of arms and turned the balance of
military power to our side," Aliev declared. If the Azerbaijani mass
media and Aliev’s senses are to be trusted, it comes out that the
"plan of liberation of the seven Azerbaijani regions" is already
completed.

According to Aliev’s statements, the question of Karabakh’s status,
which is to be decided in accord with the principle of Azerbaijan’s
integrity, can be considered only after the refugees are returned to
Karabakh. Listening to the Azeri President one may also think that
Azerbaijan is so kind to advocate presence of international
peacemaking forces in Azerbaijan and not to mind exploitation of
Lachin pass for communication between Armenia and Karabakh

Prime Minister of Armenia Serge Sarkisian on May 3 denied the
statement by Ilham Aliev that Armenia agreed to return the seven
"occupied" regions to Azerbaijan. As radio Liberty informs, the
Armenian Prime Minister stated that the position of the Republic of
Armenia about Nagorno-Karabakh has not changed and that he cannot
understand what are the Azeri President’s statements meant for.

By A. Haroutiunian