AZERI SPOKESMAN SLAMS ARMENIAN DEFENCE MINISTER’S REMARKS

Azad Azarbaycan TV
Jan 21 2008
Azerbaijan

A threatening statement by Armenian Defence Minister Mikayel
Harutyunyan once again shows that official Yerevan is an aggressor
state. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesman, Xazar Ibrahim, said
this while commenting on the Armenian defence minister’s statement that
they were able to occupy another 20 per cent of Azerbaijan’s territory.

[Ibrahim, speaking at news conference] This does not impact positively
on the [peace] talks. This should be regarded by the international
community and the [OSCE Minsk Group] co-chairs as an example of
Armenia’s unequivocal non-constructive position. Because this
is a statement supporting the policy of occupation which Armenia
has conducted so far. First, they show with this statement that,
yes, we occupied [Azerbaijani territories]. They again proved that
they are an aggressor state and the occupying country. Second, they
showed with this statement that they have not given up on this kind
of policy. This is a message for Azerbaijan and Azerbaijan accepts
this message. Azerbaijan has no fears in this regard. The situation
is quite different today. Today, Armenia is not in a position to make
such statements.

[At 1412 gmt 18 January, Novosti Armenia news agency quoted Mikayel
Harutyunyan as saying that Azerbaijan’s leaders "should think what will
happen if they lose another 20 per cent [of the country’s territory]
and have two more million refugees".]