ARMENIA INTERESTED IN STATUS-QUO IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT : AMERICAN POLITICIAN

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
May 23 2007

Azerbaijan, Baku / corr. Trend A.Gasimova / The Director of the
Research Institute for Central Asia and Caucasus of Jon Hopkins
University, Svante Cornell, considers that Armenia is interested in
the status quo situation, which has been ongoing for more than 10 years
with regards to the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The conflict between the two countries of South Caucasus appeared in
1988 due to territorial claims of Armenia against Azerbaijan. Armenia
has occupied 20% of the Azerbaijani lands including Nagorno-Karabakh
region and seven Districts of the country surrounding it. Since 1992
to the present time, these territories have been under the occupation
of the Armenian Forces. In 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a
cease-fire agreement at which time the active hostilities ended. The
Co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia, France and USA) continue
to hold peaceful negotiations.

Cornell said in his interview with journalists on 23 May in Baku
that although the status quo is totally in the hands of the present
Government of Armenia, this is undesirable for Azerbaijan and such
a situation should be stopped. "Presently the Armenian propaganda is
not as strong as 10 years ago. Almost all countries around the world
know that the Azerbaijani land has been occupied and they know who
the aggressor is. The aggressor here is Armenia," the expert stressed.

Cornell said that Russia and Armenia closely co-operate in economic
and military spheres. "The Government of Russia wants to demonstrate
that it supports both Azerbaijan and Armenia (for instance, in the
peaceful settlement of the conflict). However, it needs to look at
the facts and the fact is that the Russian Armed Forces have been
placed in Armenia and therefore, Russia is causing harm to relations
with Azerbaijan by supporting Armenia," the American politician said,
adding that Azerbaijan needs to expand and strengthen its relations
with the western countries.

Cornell highlighted the importance of the continuing economic growth
in Azerbaijan and the great importance of the issue that the oil
revenues should be equally distributed in the society and assists
in the political development of the country. "With regards to the
development of democracy in Azerbaijan, it is impossible to gain
this in a day. The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is an obstacle in the
development of democracy in Azerbaijan because it creates instability
in the Country," Cornell concluded.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress