Interfax, Russia
May 5 2009

REFUGEES MUST RETURN TO NAGORNO-KARABAKH BEFORE STATUS TALKS

Talks on the status of Nagorno-Karabakh can only start after refugees
return to their homes, Azeri Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov told
reporters on Tuesday.

"If the population of the region is to return to their land, the
territory around Nagorno-Karabakh must be liberated, people must
return to this territory, the roads must be reopened cooperation
launched and security guaranteed," he said.

"If this does not happen and Azeris fail to return to Nagorno-
Karabakh, no discussion of the status will be possible and no talks
can be held on how a normal environment could be created in connection
with this region," Azimov said.

"A sequence is seen here, set by the logic of the process, not by
us. Logic demands that," he said.

Assessing the situation ahead of the talks between the Azeri and
Armenian presidents in Prague on May 7, Azimov said that discussions
are continuing on the draft, proposed by the co-chairmen [the basic
principles of settling the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict].

"Some questions remain open, while others remain the subject of
disagreement. On the whole, as previously, nothing is deemed
negotiated before agreement is reached on all aspects. The work must
continue based on these principles," the Azeri diplomat said.

No ‘arithmetic’ can be involved in the talks on Nagorno-Karabakh and
all territories must be liberated unequivocally, he said. "Nagorno-
Karabakh will remain part of Azerbaijan. A concrete model will be
developed for the co-existence of two communities in it," Azimov said.