BAKU SAYS KARABAKH SHOULD REMAIN PRECONDITION FOR TURKISH-ARMENIA BORDER OPENING

BBC Monitoring Trans Caucasus Unit
April 9, 2009 Thursday

A senior Azerbaijani diplomat has said that the settlement of the
Nagornyy Karabakh conflict should remain a precondition for the
opening of the Turkish-Armenian border.

In remarks broadcast on Azerbaijan’s private ANS TV on 9 April,
Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov said: "As it has been
repeatedly said, Azerbaijan believes that as the decision to close
the border was taken precisely due to the occupation of Azerbaijani
territories, the annulment of that decision can be possible only when
that conditions stop to exist. In other words, Azerbaijan believes
that the opening of the border can be implemented only within the
context of the settlement of the [Nagornyy Karabakh] conflict and
should be directly linked to the development of that process."

Azimov added, however, that Azerbaijan does not interfere in other
states’ domestic affairs and that every state defines its policies
independently.

The Baku-based Turan news agency quoted Azimov as telling reporters on
the same day that the opening of the Turkish-Armenian border could be
a component of the stage-by-stage settlement of the Karabakh conflict
and take place after the partial withdrawal of Armenian troops from
Azerbaijani territories.

Commenting on the possible deployment of Russian troops in five
Azerbaijani districts around Karabakh after Armenian troops’
withdrawal, Azimov said foreign troops could not be deployed on
Azerbaijan’s territory. "Initially Azerbaijani troops will be
deployed there to ensure safety of the civilian population," he
said. International assistance can be accepted from foreign observers,
however the armies of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries cannot
be involved in peacekeeping activities in the conflict zone, Turan
quoted Azimov as saying.