Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
Feb 14 2008

Azerbaijan Clarifies its position on Kosovo
14.02.08 12:36

Azerbaijan, Baku, 13 February / corr Trend News I.Alizade /
Azerbaijan clarified its position on Kosovo’status. `During the
winter session the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE will discuss
the future status of Kosovo. The delegation which will represent
Azerbaijan at the session, is in consultation with the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs for shaping Azerbaijan’s position on the future
status of Kosovo,’ Eldar Ibrahimov, the deputy chairman of the
Azerbaijani delegation to PA OSCE, the chairman of the permanent
parliamentary commission on agrarian policy of the Milli Majlis
[Azerbaijan Government], told Trend on 13 February.

He said that the Azerbaijani delegation may be neutral during
discussions and voting. `We can also hold another position. However,
it is still to be clarified,’ Ibrahimov said.

He did not exclude the Armenian delegation’s possible attempts at the
PA OSCE to compare Kosovo with Nagorno-Karabakh. Even the Armenian
MPs earlier attempted this. `However, these efforts will be in vain,
because Nagorno-Karabakh and Kosovo are different issues.
Nagorno-Karabakh is an inseparable part of Azerbaijan and the world
has recognized its occupation by the Armenians,’ he stressed.

The Azerbaijani delegation believes that the Kosovo problem should be
solved on the basis of international rule of law,’ Khazar Ibrahim,
the spokesman for the Foreign Ministry said.

Vafa Guluzade, the former state adviser on foreign policy, an
independent political expert, considers that Azerbaijan should not be
in a hurry to recognize Kosovo’s independence. `It would be more
convenient for Azerbaijan not to recognize Kosovo’s independence. We
actually betray the principle of territorial integrity. So, it is
important for Azerbaijan to take a principle position on the Kosovo
status. It is also necessary to study intensively, the dividends
which Azerbaijan’s recognition of Kosovo independence could bring,’
he said.

Guluzade said that Albans residing in this region and the state of
Albania will meet with understanding the Kosovo independence. `All
issue concerning cooperation can be left for the future,’ he
stressed.

Guluzade said that the international community recognizes the
independence of Kosovo irrespective of Azerbaijan’s position. Because
this issue is patronized by the United States and its allies which
total over 100.

The PA OSCE winter session will be held in Vienna on 21- 22 February.

The Azerbaijani delegation will be led by Bahar Muradova, the Deputy
chairman of the Azerbaijan Parliament and will include MPs Eldar
Ibrahimov, Fatah Heydarov, Rabiyyat Aslanova, Azay Guliyev and Ilgar
Verdiyev, the deputy head of the parliamentary department for
international relations.

The delegation will leave for Vienna on 18 February.