BAKU SAYS MOSCOW STEPPING UP GARABAGH SETTLEMENT EFFORTS

AssA-Irada
July 20, 2009 Monday
Azerbaijan

Some hopes were kindled for resolving the Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh
conflict following a one-on-one meeting of Azerbaijani and Russian
Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Dmitry Medvedev, Azerbaijani Foreign
Minister Elmar Mammadyarov told journalists Monday. President Aliyev,
Armenian leader Serzh Sarkisian and their Russian counterpart
held their third trilateral meeting in Moscow on Saturday,
following bilateral presidential talks on Garabagh settlement a
day earlier. Afterwards, the Azerbaijani leader met one-on-one with
President Medvedev.

Mammadyarov said the experience of the past five years shows that more
activeness is observed in the peace process. Medvedev is discussing
the pettiest details now on his own initiative, the minister said. It
is sensed that Russia is seeking to achieve advances in the conflict
settlement. Mammadyarov said the recent statement issued by the three
countries co-chairing the mediating OSCE Minsk Group in Italy indicates
that these states are interested not in retaining the status quo in
the conflict resolution, but moving the peace process forward. In the
joint statement, US President Barack Obama, France’s Nicolas Sarkozy
and Russia’s Dmitry Medvedev called on Armenian and Azerbaijani
leaders to resolve their differences and move towards a final accord
on the long-standing conflict based on the Madrid principles that were
presented to the sides in late 2007. The foreign minister emphasized
that the conflicting sides are working on the Madrid principles,
but there are matters that are already certain. It is definite that,
first, Armenians must withdraw their armed forces from the occupied
Azerbaijani districts. This is unequivocal. A relevant timetable
will be determined. Afterwards, the displaced persons are to return
to their native land and communications are to be restored. Shortly
before that, the European Union might hold a donor conference for
the restoration of communications. Mammadyarov said one of the
important issues was expanding ties between the Azerbaijani and
Armenian communities of Upper Garabagh. The status of the region
will be discussed only after all these matters have been resolved. We
had said even prior to the Moscow meeting that we need to determine
Upper Garabaghs status. Certainly, with a high-level autonomy within
Azerbaijani territory. Mammadyarov noted that the mediators are due
to pay separate visits to the region in early September and a joint
visit in late September. Until then, they will continue working on
the principles of the conflict settlement at hand. The minister said
talks on the level of the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents will be
continued in three months — in October. Commenting on the interval
of several months in presidential meetings, which have intensified
of late, he said it would be wrong to consider this a break. During
this time, ties will be expanded between the Azerbaijani and Armenian
communities, Mammadyarov said. Another meeting of the communities
is planned soon. But, this time, such a meeting will take place in
a third country, he added. Azerbaijan and Armenia have been locked
in conflict for nearly two decades. A lengthy war ended with the
signing of a cease-fire in 1994, but Armenia continues to occupy
Upper Garabagh and seven other Azerbaijani districts in defiance of
international law. Peace talks that kicked off after the hostilities
have brought little tangible result so far but are still under way.