PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN: "ARMENIANS USED THEIR RIGHT OF SELF-DETERMINATION WHEN THEY ESTABLISHED THE STATE OF ARMENIA"

APA
May 14 2009
Azerbaijan

Baku – APA. "There are various approaches and evaluation of the
situation. Some people think that we are close to the agreement and
others claimed that there is a huge work to be done.

Regarding the negotiations, I valued it as a process going in positive
direction, the progress was achieved in some issues of the agreement,
but it was not possible several years ago. But this progress is not
enough for the settlement of the conflict or achieving the agreement",
said President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev in his meeting with the
members of the US Council on Foreign Relations answering their
question about the current situation of the negotiations over the
peaceful settlement of Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorny Karabakh conflict.

The president said 17 years have passed since the establishing of
OSCE Minsk Group, but there is no result yet. "The situation remains
as it was earlier. Our lands are under the occupation. Seven regions
outside the administrative borders of Nagorny Karabakh were occupied
by the Armenians. Nearly one million Azerbaijanis became refugees and
internally displaced persons as a result of ethnic cleansing policy
of Armenia and this situation continues to remain that.

Regarding the settlement of the conflict, it must be resolved on
the strong basis of the norms of international law. The conflict
must be resolved only and only on the basis of the norms of
international law. UN Security Council adopted four resolutions
demanding unconditional withdrawal of Armenian forces from the
occupied lands. The international community recognized the fact of
occupation of our lands. The territorial integrity of Azerbaijan
was internationally recognized and supported. The OSCE Minsk Group
co-chairs made several statements on the protection of the territorial
integrity of Azerbaijan. When Azerbaijan became the member of the
United Nations, this organization recognized its territorial integrity.

I want to say about the right of self-determination, which Armenia
intends to use as an argument, that Armenians already used this right
when they established the state of Armenia. If it is based on their
logic, many Armenian states should be established all over the world.

This is a wrong approach. We have always drawn Armenia’s attention
to the Helsinki Final Act in the talks. This final act obviously
reflects the items of on inviolability of territorial integrity and
self-determination rights: self-determination cannot violate the
principles of internationally-recognized territorial integrity of any
state. Therefore, the conflict must be regulated on the basis of the
international legal norms and it will allow the restoration of our
territorial integrity and make Armenians and Azerbaijanis live in
peace in Nagorny Karabakh region of Azerbaijan.