AZERBAIJAN WILL NOT RESUME COOPERATION WITH ARMENIA UNTIL OCCUPATION OF ITS LAND CONTINUES: PRESIDENT ILHAM ALIYEV

Trend
Jan 29 2009
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, Baku, Jan. 29/ Trend News, E. Ostapenko/ President
of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev says Azerbaijan-Armenia cooperation is
impossible until Azerbaijani lands are under Armenian occupation.

"We will not maintain any relations with Armenia until Armenian armed
forces continue occupation of our lands," Ilham Aliyev said in the
World Economic Forum in Davos.

"If we have a look at a map, we can see that the best route to
transport our hydrocarbon reserves to West lies through Armenia,"
Ilham Aliyev said. "But if you happen to be in this land, you will
see that this is the longest route."

Azerbaijan demands Armenia to meet international law, the UN Security
Council Resolution and to withdraw forces from the Azerbaijani lands,
President said.

It will be possible to resume contact and cooperation with Armenia
after we reach peace. It would be favorable for all countries in the
region, he said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan
lost all of Nagorno-Karabakh except for Shusha and Khojali in December
1991. In 1992-93, Armenian armed forces occupied Shusha, Khojali and 7
districts surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed
a ceasefire in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia,
France, and the U.S. – are currently holding the peace negotiations.