TIGRAN TOROSYAN SAYS AZERBAIJANI AUTHORITIES NOT READY TO SETTLE KARABAKH CONFLICT

Panorama.am
14:12 16/06/2007

The chairman of the National Assembly, Tigran Torosyan, received
Peter Semneby, special representative of the European Union on South
Caucasus, on June 15. Haike Paich, German ambassador to Armenia, was
also present at the meeting. Torosyan told his guests that Armenia is
determined to conduct presidential elections according to democratic
standards.

Peter Semneby praised the parliamentary elections in Armenia saying
"they were the best and unprecedented."

He rendered his hope that positive trends will continue.

Speaking about Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement, Mr. Semneby said
the continuation of negotiations is positive despite of no results from
St. Petersburg talks. Torosyan reiterated Armenia’s stance on Karabakh
conflict settlement saying it is a combination of the principles
of territorial integrity and right for self-determination. He also
said the same postulate is followed in OSCE documents. Torosyan
considered unacceptable the statements made by Azerbaijan saying
territorial integrity principle is primary. He also said Azerbaijan
rudely violates the principle of self-determination by interpreting
it as autonomous region within Azerbaijan. Torosyan also criticized
militaristic statements by Azerbaijan and said that the Azerbaijani
authorities are not ready to settle the conflict, in fact.