AZERBAIJAN’S TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY MUST NOT BE DAMAGED – AZERI OFFICIAL

Interfax
Nov 18 2008
Russia

BAKU. Nov 17 (Interfax-Azerbaijan) – Azerbaijan is ready to grant
"a broad status" to Nagorno Karabakh within Azerbaijan’s territorial
integrity, said Novruz Mamedov, the head of the presidential staff’s
foreign relations department on Monday.

"Baku has always been ready to grant any status to Nagorno Karabakh
within the framework of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. We could
grant Nagorno Karabakh the broadest possible status only in the
framework of sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan," Mamedov said.

Azerbaijan’s position is based on the current world practice, he
also said.

"The country’s territorial integrity must not be violated. This is
not being discussed so far. Concerning national self- determination,
Armenians did decide on this once already. The world will never
accept the emergence of Armenian states whenever Armenians live. No
one will accept this. Azerbaijan will never recognize this, either,"
Mamedov said.