AZERBAIJAN HOPES FOR SETTLEMENT OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT
ITAR-TASS
Sept 11 2008
Russia
BAKU, September 11 (Itar-Tass) – Azerbaijani President Ilkham Aliyev
hopes that the conflict in the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh
will eventually be settled.
"If we settle this conflict, which I hope we will manage to do, all
countries of the region will develop much faster," Aliyev said on
Wednesday after talking with his Turkish opposite number Abdullah Gul.
President Aliyev believes that a totally new situation will emerge
in the entire region if the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is solved.
"Cooperation, stability, new economic and political initiatives, the
opening of communications – in other words, peace and prosperity will
be ensured for the region," the Azeri president went on to say. He
emphasized the despite more than 15 years of fruitless negotiations
Azerbaijan remains committed to a peaceful settlement. At the same
time, he noted that the settlement could only be based on the norms
and principles of international law.
"We want peace, stability and tranquillity in the region so as all
the countries situated in it could establish normal relations with
each other. For that, the political leadership in Armenia should show
the will and make wise steps," President Aliyev said.
Aliyev said that he and Turkish President Abdullah Gul had a common
opinion that Armenia’s new political leadership would continue efforts
to settle the conflicts.
"There are encouraging factors, and there is information that inspires
hopes. course, I wouldn’t like to ride before the hounds but we are
looking to the future with rising hopes. I would like to believe that
the efforts buy Azerbaijan, Armenian and other countries will enable
us to secure peace in the region," President Aliyev went on to day.
In the meantime, his Turkish opposite number Abdullah Gul believes
that new opportunities have opened for settling the conflict in
Nagorno-Karabakh.
President Gul told a briefing after talks with Azerbaijani President
Ilkham Aliyev on Wednesday that he had become increasingly convinced
in his opinion after his recent visit to Armenia. He called for the
liberation of the "occupied Azerbaijani territories".
The Turkish president is convinced that the settlement of the Karabakh
conflict would allow all countries of the region to get involved in
major energy transportation projects. "If the mood of cooperation
prevails in the region over hostility, it will serve the interests
of all countries in the Caucasus," Abdullah Gul emphasized.
He said that his talks with President Aliyev had been focused on
bilateral relations and the new situation in the Caucasus that
emerged after the last month events in Georgia. President Abdullah
Gul noted the high level of relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan
in all spheres.
He said that politically Turkey has always been close to Azerbaijan
and will continue to be in future.
The Turkish president added that the two countries were demonstrating
strong will to implement major economic projects that will contribute
to the region’s development.