THERE IS NO ROOM FOR FOURTH STATE IN SOUTHERN CAUCASUS – BAKU

Interfax
April 21 2008
Russia

Baku regrets that the new Armenian authorities maintain the old
position on Nagorno-Karabakh, spokesman for the Azeri Foreign Ministry
Khazar Ibragim said.

"Regretfully, the new Armenian government, including new Foreign
Minister Edward Nalbandian, has not retreated from the old stereotypes.

The new government has continued to make the same mistakes as before.

The must know that there are only three states in Southern Caucasus
and there is no space for a fourth one," Ibragim told a news conference
on Monday.

Commenting on Nalbandian’s statement that "Azerbaijan brags about
a large increase in its military budget," Ibragim said that this is
interference in Azerbaijan’s domestic affairs. "Azerbaijan demands that
Armenia withdraws its troops from the occupied territories, otherwise
diplomatic effort [on behalf of Azerbaijan] could decline. We call
on the Armenian side to be constructive and for the unconditional
withdrawal of its occupying troops from the occupied territories. The
Armenian authorities should assess the situation correctly in order
not repeat previous mistakes," the spokesman said.

Commenting on recent U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s appeal
to Azerbaijan and Armenia to search for compromise, Ibragim said
that Azerbaijan wants the United States and other co-chairmen show
greater activity. "I do not know anything about Armenia’s readiness
for compromise. As to Azerbaijan, we see the conflict resolution only
within the framework of the Azeri territorial integrity. There is no
other solution to this conflict," Ibragim said.