NOVRUZ MAMMADOV: NO PROGRESS IN KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT

ArmInfo
2009-05-16 11:33:00

ArmInfo-TURAN. ‘The statement on adoption of the "Road Map" on the
Karabakh conflict settlement on agreement on the "Lachin Corridor"
will hardly be made at the meeting between Azerbaijani and Armenian
Presidents in Saint Petersburg in June 2009>, Novruz Mammadov,
chief of the international relations department of the presidential
administration, told Turan.

He also made a surprising statement saying that "unfortunately,
processes in this direction do not satisfy Azerbaijan. Presidents Ilham
Aliyev and Serzh Sarkisian have already held four meetings. Whatever
the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairman say, no progress has been achieved
at the talks. We have some agreements, but they have been reached at
the meetings with the previous Armenian President," Mammadov said.

"After the elections Armenia was in the state of emergency, dozens of
people were killed, newspapers and internet papers were closed. In such
a situation Sarkisian tried to look liberal and constructive. We also
thought that it would be easy to find an agreement with Sarkisian,"
he continued. Mammadov said the co-chairmen’s optimistic statements
are "erroneous." He reminded that "the mediators have been making
such statements 16 years, but we still have no progress. He confirmed
that they follow the principle "nothing is agreed, till everything
is agreed." The co- chairmen offer a stage-by-stage process – from
simple to complex and from small to big. "But at the end of simple
issues we have several fundamental principles – term of troops pullout
from the occupied territories; countries that will take part in the
peacekeeping operation, form and time of the referendum on the Nagorno
Karabakh status and others. Armenia is absolutely unconstructive in
such important matters, but the co-chairmen and others take that as
a norm," Mammadov added.

The conflict settlement is out of the question, until the
international community and the U.S. administration occupy fair
position, recognize Armenia as aggressor and demand liberation of the
occupied lands, Mammadov said. Azerbaijan is determined to defend
its interests. We will not sacrifice our interests for the sake of
others," he added. Mammadov said no work has been done on the Madrid
principles. The Madrid principles have been just presented to the
sides, but Azerbaijan has never accepted them. "Azerbaijan has its
own position and its own proposals.

The Madrid principles do not exist in form of the document," he said.