State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan
April 3, 2009 Friday
NAGORNO-KARABAKH BELONGS TO AZERBAIJAN AND THERE MUST BE NO DOUBTS
ABOUT THAT, CHIEF OF NORWEGIAN ATLANTIC COMMITTEE
Baku 3 April
Nagorno-Karabakh is the territory of Azerbaijan and there must be no
doubts about that, said Kjell Engebretsen, chairman of the Norwegian
Atlantic Committee, while meeting Ziyafat Asgarov, first vice speaker
of the Azerbaijan Parliament.
The conflict must be solved on the basis of territorial integrity of
the countries. Delaying the resolution of the conflict is an
impediment to the region`s progress, said Engebretsen.
Asgarov said his country is closely cooperating with international
organizations, including NATO and its Parliamentary
Assembly. Azerbaijan joined NATO`s Programs of Partnership for Peace
in 1994 and Individual Partnership in 1996.
This was what boosted the Azerbaijan-NATO cooperation. But occupation
of one fifth of Azerbaijan`s territory by Armenia and the expulsion of
more than one million people from their homes put serious obstacles to
progress of the country, Asgarov noted.
He said: What complicates the situation the most is Armenia`s ignoring
resolutions of the United Nations and the Council of Europe demanding
its withdrawal from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. It is
important that the international community impose serious sanctions
against the aggressor and make stronger efforts towards restoring
peace in the region.
The Norwegian Atlantic Committee was established in 1955 after an
initiative by the then chairman of the Committee of Foreign Affairs of
the Norwegian Parliament, Finn Mo. The Committee is politically
independent and is working on informing about and increasing the
understanding of Norwegian foreign, defense and security policy, with
special emphasis on the North-Atlantic cooperation.