AZERI FOREIGN POLICY AIDE DECRIES ARMENIAN LEADER’S KARABAKH VISIT
Azad Azarbaycan
April 1 2008
Azerbaijan
[Presenter] The reason for the visit of Armenian President Robert
Kocharyan to the territories under occupation [Nagornyy Karabakh]
is to seek a refuge if he is persecuted in Yerevan. As the head the
foreign relations department of the presidential administration,
Novruz Mammadov, told "Son Xabar" news programme, a malicious policy
is behind all his efforts.
[Correspondent over Kocharyan’s video] Yerevan is facing a choice, it
will either recognize Karabakh’s independence or sign an agreement on
collective defence with the illegitimate regime. Incumbent Armenian
President Robert Kocharyan, who visited the occupied Azerbaijani
lands yesterday, issued this statement at a meeting with heads of
the separatist body.
In his words, cooperation is an indication of development for the
resolution of pressing problems. The Armenian president added that
such an agreement would be a warning to those who issue belligerent
statements. Kocharyan said that discussions for the resolution
of the conflict would be held and Armenian parliamentarians would
visit Karabakh with fresh proposals. He added that resolution of the
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict and the processes under way in the
region prompt Yerevan to make changes in its steps with regard to
Nagornyy Karabakh’s status and its security.
Asked under which conditions Armenia might recognize Karabakh’s
status, Robert Kocharyan said that if it concerns future steps,
then this should be handled by the newly-elected president. However,
it is high time to make a choice. Commenting on the 10-year-long
Karabakh settlement process, Kocharyan assured that the situation
was not negative for Armenia. He said that Karabakh’s status was not
discussed at talks with Azerbaijan.
The head of the foreign relations department of the presidential
administration, Novruz Mammadov, told ATV that what Robert Kocharyan,
who did nothing during his 10-year term in office, said in Karabakh
was nonsense. The head of the department said that Kocharyan’s visit
to Karabakh was connected with his intention to seek refuge when he
is persecuted by some forces in Yerevan. As for opinions about the
possibilities of signing an agreement on collective defence between
Armenia and Karabakh or recognizing Karabakh’s independence by Yerevan,
the head of the department deems both options impossible. In general,
Novruz Mammadov assessed Kocharyan’s visit and the statements aired
in Xankandi [Stepanakert] as cheap sabotage and an attempt to mislead
the world community.