BAKU CRITICIZES ARMENIAN PRESIDENT’S STATEMENTS ON KARABAKH

Interfax
Nov 11 2008
Russia

The statement made by Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, who said that
Karabakh’s right to independence needs to be recognized to withdraw
the Armenian troops from Azerbaijan, contradicts the recently signed
Moscow Declaration, said Khazar Ibragim, a spokesman for the Azeri
Foreign Ministry.

"Mr Sargsyan’s words fully contradict the Moscow Declaration signed by
the presidents of Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Russia, which states that
the Karabakh conflict should be resolved on the basis of international
law, and also the documents and decisions made within that framework,"
Ibragim told Interfax.

"If you look at these documents and decisions, they all clearly
state the supremacy of the principle of territorial integrity, and
the right to independence is possible only within the framework of
the above-mentioned principle. From this viewpoint, contradictions
in the Armenian leadership’s actions are obvious," said the diplomat.

Igragim also criticized Sargsyan’s statement saying that the Moscow
Declaration will deprive Azerbaijan of its right to free its land by
military force.

"The Moscow Declaration states the norms and principles of
international law, which prohibit the use of military force. However,
it was Armenia that violated these norms and principles by using force
to take over Azeri land. For this reason, Armenia should have withdrawn
its troops at least after the signing of the Moscow Declaration. On
the other and, if Armenia has already used military force against
a different state, then this state, Azerbaijan, has full rights to
defend itself," said the diplomat.