DO ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN COORDINATE PROCEDURES OF LIBERATING FIVE REGIONS AROUND KARABAKH?
Today.Az
ics/55623.html
Sept 15 2009
Azerbaijan
Armenian and Azerbaijani special services have launched an informal
coordination of technical parameters and procedures of liberating five
regions surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh which, according to settlement
formula, must be returned to Azerbaijan, Regnum news agency reported
quoting diplomatic sources as saying.
A source said "the very question of return of the five regions to
the control of Azerbaijani authorities is not questioned and fate
of the remaining two regions around Karabakh – Lachin and Kalbajar –
is subject of controversy. Armenian side would like to exclude return
of these two regions and, in any case, to leave Lachin corridor under
its control."
The key matter of dispute is status of Nagorno-Karabakh for which
Baku offers "the largest autonomy" within Azerbaijan while Yerevan
insists on its independence.
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Elkhan Polukhov commented
on the afore-said reports.
"Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry does not comment on all sorts
of speculation and unconfirmed facts. Our position remains
unchanged. Azerbaijan is ready to open its borders with Armenia
only after Armenia liberates occupied territories of Azerbaijan,"
Polukhov said.
"The key terms of Azerbaijan is withdrawal of Armenia’s occupying
forces from the five occupied regions of Azerbaijan as a first step
and fixing specific dates for the return of the remaining two –
Kalbajar and Lachin," he added.