Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
June 14 2008

Baku May Hold Talks with Armenian Community of Nagorno-Karabakh under
Certain Conditions
14.06.08 15:23

Azerbaijan, Baku, 14 June /corr. Trend News E.Babayev / In order to
involve Armenian community of Nagorno-Karabakh in the talks, Baku
requires to remove Armenia from the conflict settlement process.

`In this case, Armenia should be fully removed from this
process. Azerbaijan’s lands have been occupied by the armed forces of
Armenia. If Armenia is removed provided that it will not interfere in
internal affairs of Azerbaijan, we may go to talks with the Armenian
community in territory of Azerbaijan,’ Novruz Mammadov, Head of
Foreign Relations Department of Azerbaijan Presidential
Administration, said on 14 June.

On 6 June, familiarization meeting of Presidents of Azerbaijan, Ilham
Aliyev and Armenia, Serj Sarkisyan took place.

Eduard Nalbandyan, the Foreign Minister of Armenia, stated earlier
that that the population in the Nagorno-Karabakh must also participate
in the negotiations.

Mammadov considers impossible the meeting of communities in the
current situation. `Communities can meet if certain documents are
signed between Azerbaijan and Armenia. After this, negotiations can be
held regarding placement of the Armenian community in
Nagorno-Karabakh, returning of IPDs to their motherlands and other
issues,’ Mammadov said.

According to Mammadov, the format of the negotiations will be defined
after the visit of the co-chairs to the region. `Presidents
commissioned co-chairs and Foreign Ministers. There are new issues
which should be discussed. We can continue the process after formation
of positions,’ Mamamdov said.

The conflict between the two countries of South Caucasus began in 1988
due to territorial claims by Armenia against Azerbaijan. Armenia has
occupied 20% of the Azerbaijani land including the Nagorno-Karabakh
region and its seven surrounding Districts. Since 1992, these
territories have been under the occupation of the Armenian Forces. In
1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which
time the active hostilities ended. The Co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk
Group ( Russia, France and USA) are currently holding peaceful
negotiations.