BAKU: AZERBAIJAN’S POSITION ON KARABAKH COMPLIES WITH INTL LAW

Interfax
June 18 2009
Russia

Azerbaijan’s position on the problem of Nagorno-Karabakh is fully
substantiated and backed by international law, Azeri Foreign Ministry
spokesman Elkhan Polukhov told Interfax on Thursday.

"The Azeri side has citied arguments in defense of its position on
many occasions, and it has never made empty statements, not backed
by international norms and principles," Polukhov said in remarks
about Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharian’s claims
that the settlement of the Karabakh conflict has been skidding over
Azerbaijan’s unconstructive stance.

Kocharian’s statement is "nothing but yet another attempt to incite
tensions over the talks," he said. "The Armenian side makes such
destructive statements regularly, which points to its inconsistent
position," he said.

As before, Azerbaijan supports the principle of nonuse of force in
settling the conflict, Polukhov said.

"However, Azerbaijan has not signed a single document that would speak
about the nonuse of force. Azerbaijan only signed the documents which
deal with the principles of nonuse of force," said Polukhov.