AZERI GOVERNMENT SAID TO SEEK OPPOSITION’S BACKING ON KARABAKH ISSUE

Yeni Musavat
March 26 2008
Azerbaijan

The Azerbaijani opposition daily Yeni Musavat has said that the
authorities and the opposition may start talks on the Nagornyy
Karabakh issue.

"According to a report we received from sources close to the government
circles, the Azerbaijani authorities may make efforts to reach the
national unity within the country over the Karabakh issue.

It is not reportedly ruled out that the government may want support
from the opposition in efforts to be taken in connection with the
Karabakh issue," Yeni Musavat said on 26 March.

The newspaper believes that it is very important that Azerbaijani
society sticks to a unique position on the problem now.

"Because the mediating countries’ [USA, Russia and France] pressure
is mainly aimed at Baku and this will continue to be the case,"
Yeni Musavat added.

Commenting on US co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group Matthew Bryza’s
remarks to the New York-based Armenian Reporter newspaper that
Azerbaijan has turned to the OSCE secretariat over the change of
the Minsk Group’s composition, Yeni Musavat said that "in the given
situation, it would not come to terms with reality to sideline one
of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing countries from the negotiating
process. Because all the three countries have their strong interests
in the region. From this standpoint, one may assume that Baku demands
that the composition of the co-chairing countries be increased. To
reject the OSCE Minsk Group generally would mean to stop the talks
officially".

Yeni Musavat added that "the three countries which are competing with
each other in the region seem to be rather unanimous in their efforts
to tear Karabakh away from Azerbaijan".

The paper believes that Baku has two ways out of this situation under
the current circumstances. It suggests that Baku is either to reject
the Minsk Group format or get another state unequivocally recognizing
Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity included in the group. The daily
added that there is an advantageous diplomatic atmosphere to make
Yerevan to accept Baku’s demand.