BAKU HOPES KARABAKH OFFICIALS WILL NOT ATTEND DUMA HEARINGS ON FROZEN CONFLICTS
Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS Presidential Bulletin
March 11, 2008
Russia
Azerbaijan’s Embassy to Russia is closely watching the situation in
the run-up to the hearings on CIS frozen conflicts at the Russian
State Duma on March 12, spokesman for the Azeri Foreign Ministry
Khazar Ibragim said.
"Our ambassador in Moscow is keeping this situation under control.
As soon as this information [about planned hearings] appeared, he
contacted the State Duma and as you see Karabakh officials are not
expected to be there," Ibragim said at a briefing on Tuesday.
Representatives from all separatist regions in the post-Soviet
territory, except for Nagorno Karabakh, have been invited to the
hearings, he said.
"However, as soon as we see that Karabakh separatists might attend
[the hearings], we will take urgent measures," the Azeri diplomat said.
Currently, Azerbaijan is in talks with all countries, including Russia,
regarding the draft resolution on Nagorno Karabakh which has been
proposed by Azerbaijan and is due to be considered at the United
Nations Security Council on March 14, Ibragim said.
"Each country may have its own stance on Kosovo, but Russia’s stance
is well known, it has always recognized Azerbaijan’s territorial
integrity, and Azerbaijan is calling for all conflicts to be resolved
on the basis of international law," the Foreign Ministry’s spokesman
said.