Trend, Azerbaijan
Oct 16 2009

Azerbaijani politicians forecast rapid release of five regions
occupied by Armenia

Azerbaijan, Baku, October 16 / Trend News T. Konyayeva /

Azerbaijani independent politicians forecast releasing of five regions
of Nagorno-Karabakh by Armenia soon.

"I think that there is certain agreement between Ankara and Yerevan to
return five Azerbaijani regions occupied by Armenia," Azerbaijani
independent politician, Rasim Aqayev, said at a meeting of
politicians’ discussion club ‘End of football diplomacy. What is the
next action?’ on October 16.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan
lost all of Nagorno-Karabakh except for Shusha and Khojali in December
1991. In 1992-93, Armenian armed forces occupied Shusha, Khojali and 7
districts surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed
a ceasefire in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia,
France, and the U.S. – are currently holding the peace negotiations.

Aqayev said that there is much vagueness in Armenia-Turkey relations.
Tractability and readiness of Armenian side to negotiate and obvious
coordination on this issue between the USA and Russia are surprising.
Politician said that perhaps, there is the agreement on return of five
Azerbaijani regions occupied by Armenia.

Signing of Turkey-Armenia protocols to resume diplomatic relations is
not initiative of only these two countries, other Azerbaijani
politician, Fikret Sadikhov, said. He said that Armenian and Turkish
parliaments will ratify these protocols. Five occupied regions of
Azerbaijan are likely to be released, he said.

Armenia and Turkey signed the protocols to resume diplomatic
relations, broken in 1993, in Zurich on October 10.

Five occupied regions of Azerbaijan will be released soon. Refugees
will return to their lands. Communications will be restored. Kalbajar
and Lachin will be returned in five years, independent politician,
Zardusht Alizade, said.