ARMENIANS ALREADY EXERCISED SELF-DETERMINATION RIGHT WHILE ESTABLISHING ARMENIAN STATE: AZERBAIJAN PRESIDENT

Trend
May 14 2009
Azerbaijan

"Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict must be solved based
on the international law norms," said the President of Azerbaijan
Ilham Aliyev while receiving the members of the US Council on Foreign
Relations, AzerTaj state news agency reported.

"As to Armenia’s attempts to put forward an argument on
self-determination, I want to say that Armenians exercised this
right when Armenian state was established. With this logic, there
must be many Armenian states in the world. It is a wrong approach,"
Aliyev said.

"During talks, we always try to draw Armenian side’s attention to
the Helsinki Final Act. The articles about territorial integrity
and self-determination are clearly set forth in the final act:
self-determination may not contradict the principle of internationally
recognized territorial integrity of states. Therefore, resolution
of the conflict must be, first of all, based on the international
law norms, which will allow us to restore our territorial integrity
and Azerbaijani population to return their homes to live in peace,"
Aliyev said.

The Head of State said that in the light of processes concerning
integration and opening of borders in Europe, no country must build
its future in isolation. "Today, the situation Armenia got into was
created by them through pursuing an aggressive policy".

"The United Nations Security Council adopted four resolutions
demanding unconditional withdrawal of Armenian troops from occupied
lands. The world community recognized the fact of occupation of
our lands. Territorial integrity of Azerbaijan was recognized and
supported internationally. Minsk Group co-chairs made statements a few
times supporting Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. When Azerbaijan
joined the UN, it recognized the country’s territorial integrity,"
Commander-in-Chief of Azerbaijan said.

"As to the progress in negotiations, I assess it as the positive
process and progress in some points of the agreement, which
was impossible a few years ago, has been achieved. However,
this progress is not enough to solve the problem and secure the
agreement. It is 17 years since Minsk Group has been established and
notwithstanding the progress there is no any result. The situation
remains unchanged. Our lands are under occupation. Seven regions
located outside Nagorno-Karabakh border were occupied by Armenians,"
the State Head said.