Interfax, Russia
April 29 2009

Territorial integrity should not be doubted in Karabakh settlement –
NATO SG

BAKU April 29

The principle of territorial integrity should not be doubted in the
Nagorno-Karabakh settlement, NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop
Scheffer told journalists after talks with Azeri President Ilham
Aliyev on Wednesday.

Azerbaijan is an important country for NATO, which plays an important
role in the region, Scheffer said, noting that Azerbaijan’s role has
grown even more important as energy security has become crucial to the
world.

Speaking about the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement, the secretary general
said that although NATO is not directly involved in the settlement,
the alliance thinks that the territorial integrity principle should
not be doubted.

"We are thankful to NATO for its decisive position on the Nagorno-
Karabakh conflict, and this position rests on the territorial
integrity principle," Aliyev said, noting that Azerbaijan-NATO
cooperation is successful.