Today.Az, Azerbaijan
Nov 15 2008

Armenian politician Tigran Karapetyan: "Armenia may cede to Azerbaijan
only Aghdam"

15 November 2008 [10:15] – Today.Az

"The signed declaration implies the recognition of the "NKR"
independence by Azerbaijan", said leader of the Popular Party Tigran
Karapetyan.

The politician considers that in order to settle the Karabakh problem
Armenia must display political flexibility and agree on some
territorial concessions.

"Of the liberated lands of Nagorno Karabakh Armenia can cede only
Aghdam.

The trilateral agreement signed in Moscow showed readiness of the
Armenian and Azerbaijani sides to settle the Karabakh conflict
peacefully, on the basis of international law. This declaration
implies the fact of recognition of "NKR" recognition by Azerbaijan.

Yet, this is not an adequate response to the recognition of the
territorial integrity of Azerbaijan by Armenia, as Karabakh
independence is a formed political fact.

The issue today is the recognition of the liberated lands of Karabakh,
which Azerbaijan does not do. And in this direction I imply some
concessions from the Armenian side in the issue of the further
settlement of the conflict", said the politician.

"On the whole, I welcome the idea and position of the public
initiative "Unification" about the integrity of Karabakh and
impossibility of territorial concessions to Azerbaijan from among the
liberated lands of Karabakh.

But we are not radical in this issue. I do not quite understand the
policy of the "Unification", which says not a piece of land should be
ceded to the enemy. Certainly, we are the owners of our lands. But, if
the super states guarantee security of Karabakh, we can think over it.

I consider it possible to return only Aghdam, no other territories.

Why Aghdam? It has always been a market of arms sale, while our
markets sell apples. In Aghdam the Azerbaijani population always
exceeded the Armenian. The remaining territories are important to
ensure the security of "NKR" and I consider that any concessions of
the liberated lands will be followed by others.

Azerbaijan will not content on this and will require new
concessions. Therefore, except Aghdam, I think other concessions are
inadmissible. Let international peacekeeping forces, for example
Russia, be deployed there. Let them deploy in Aghdam", said
Karapetyan.

/Regnum/

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