AZERBAIJAN URGES RUSSIA TO PRESSURIZE ARMENIA OVER NAGORNO-KARABAKH PROBLEM

ARMENPRESS
Nov 28, 2007

BAKU, NOVEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS: Azerbaijani defense minister Safar
Abiyev reiterated Baku’s accusations of Armenia during a meeting with
the visiting Russian defense minister, Anatoly Serdukov, saying the
Russia-led Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) was indifferent
towards Armenian ‘aggression.’ Russian defense minister began his
official visit to Azerbaijan on 27 November. He was to visit today
the Gabala Radar Station. Abiyev urged Russia to increase pressure
on Armenia to force it withdraw its troops from ‘the occupied’ lands.

"Azerbaijan supports a peaceful settlement to the Armenian-Azerbaijani
conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.

However, Azerbaijan will take other measures if the conflict cannot
be settled through peaceful means," the Azerbaijani minister said.

On November 27 Safar Abiyev said while Azerbaijani territory is
occupied by Armenia, "the chance of war is close to 100 percent."

The comment, made during a meeting of defense chiefs from former Soviet
republics, seemed to be a repetition of warnings from Azerbaijani
officials that the use of force to recapture Nagorno-Karabakh has
not been ruled out if internationally mediated talks fail.

Azerbaijani prime minister who also received the Russian defense
minister, was quoted by Trend news agency as saying that Baku has
drastically increased its military spending for next year because
of the unresolved conflict with Armenia and because of Armenia’s
‘non-constructive’ approaches.