SEPARATIST LEADER CLASHES WITH ARMENIAN OFFICIALS

AzerNews Weekly
Jan 14 2009
Azerbaijan

The leader of the self-styled Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh republic,
Bako Saakian, has paid an unofficial visit to Yerevan, the Armenian
newspaper Aykakan Jamanak reports.

The paper said there were no official reports about the visit, as
the separatist leader conducted closed-door meetings with Armenian
officials.

Although Saakian managed to avoid spotlight, he is said to have had
a disagreement with foreign minister Eduard Nalbandian.

Further, the newspaper said Saakian and Nalbandian wrangled over
ways of resolving the Garabagh conflict. The tension is said to have
been caused by a statement issued by the "Upper Garabagh parliament"
late last year. In the statement, representatives of the separatist
regime voiced discontent over the Azerbaijani-Armenian talks proceeding
without their participation. "Any decision not approved by the people
of Garabagh will not be recognized," the statement had said.