AZERBAIJANI MP: THE FAIR SOLUTION TO THE CONFLICTS IN THE SOUTH CAUCASUS SHOULD HOLD AN IMPORTANT PLACE IN NATO FUTURE CONCEPTION

APA
Nov 16 2009
Azerbaijan

Baku. Elbrus Seyfullayev – APA. Azerbaijani parliamentarians Gudrat
Hasanguliyev and Zahid Oruj made speeches at the meeting of the
Defense and Security Committee within the framework of the 55th
session of NATO Parliamentary Assembly (PA). Zahid Oruj told APA that
during the discussions on the new strategic conception of NATO Gudrat
Hasanguliyev called on the organization to implement the resolutions
adopted by the UN.

"NATO should defend Azerbaijan," Gudrat Hasanguliyev said and
underlined that otherwise, security will not be firm in the region,
stability can be violated anytime, new military conflict will be
inevitable.

Zahid Oruj noted that NATO’s approach to the settlement of the Balkan
conflicts differed from its approach to the aggressive policy in the
South Caucasus, particularly Russia-Georgia war and occupation of
Azerbaijani territories by Armenia.

"This is connected with Russian factor," he said.

Zahid Oruj said the fair solution to the conflicts in the South
Caucasus should hold an important place in NATO future conception.

Pro-Armenian parliamentarian from Latvia said during the discussions
that according to the agreement between Stalin and Turkey in 1920,
Nagorno Karabakh remained in Azerbaijan and said "Terror acts are
committed because ethnic minorities – for example, basks in Spain
and others are not allowed to be independent". The statement caused
laughter and discontent of the audience.

Speaking about the causes and history of Karabakh conflict, Turkish
MP Vahit Erdem characterized the protocols signed between Turkey and
Armenia as a "great chance". He said Armenia’s releasing the occupied
Azerbaijani territories will create a security zone in the South
Caucasus and pave the way for NATO’s cooperation with this region.

The discussions continue in NATO.

On November 17 the final meeting of the 55th session of NATO PA will
be held and Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen will make a report.