ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER DOUBTS AZERBAIJAN’S READINESS TO SETTLE KARABAKH
Armenian Public TV
Dec 9 2008
Armenia
[Presenter] The talks between Armenia and European Union were held
in Brussels with participation of Armenian Foreign Minister Edvard
Nalbandyan. The European Commission presented the new proposals under
Eastern Partnership plan.
[Passage omitted: several documents were signed.]
[Correspondent] The issue [Karabakh conflict] was on agenda of
Nalbandyan’s lecture at Belgium Royal Institute for Foreign Relations
yesterday [8 December], where diplomats serving in Belgium, the
Belgian state minister, Robert Simmons and Peter Semneby, NATO’s
special representative in our region were present.
[Armenian Foreign Minister Edvard Nalbandyan, addressing the audience,
in English, with Armenian voice-over translation] This is not the
first time that Azerbaijan, after making a step – I would say,
half a step – forward, makes two steps back. And a question arises:
Is Azerbaijan really ready today for a settlement of the issue?
[Correspondent] Speaking about Turkey, the minister said that both
countries are equally interested in establishing diplomatic relations
and open the border, so it makes sense to normalize the relations
without preconditions. Contacts with Turkey will continue.