WITHDRAWAL OF ARMENIAN TROOPS FROM AZERBAIJAN’S OCCUPIED TERRITORIES HAS BEEN NEGOTIATED: AZERBAIJANI FOREIGN MINISTRY
Today
Nov 19 2009
Azerbaijan
"Liberation of occupied Azerbaijani territories was subject of
negotiations at all times as a its component part," Azerbaijani
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Elkhan Polukhov said.
Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan recently stated that
Armenia has not discussed issues of refugees and seven regions
surrounding the Nagorno-Karabakh with Azerbaijan.
"I do not know with whom Azerbaijan has discussed the issues of
refugees or seven regions around the "Nagorno-Karabakh Republic"
as only status of Nagorno-Karabakh is currently being negotiated,"
Nalbandyan said.
"The Madrid Principles as well as the so-called Prague process imply
liberation of occupied Azerbaijani territories. Moreover, withdrawal
of Armenian armed forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan
is one of the issues already agreed upon between the parties,"
Polukhov said.
"Often returning to this issue and raising it internal debates, the
Armenian side indirectly confirms that such issue was raised and it
has been negotiated," he added.
"Regarding participation of Armenian community of Nagorno-Karabakh
in negotiations, Azerbaijan’s stance is that Armenian and Azerbaijani
communities of Nagorno-Karabakh will discuss status of the region with
leadership of the Azerbaijan Republic after liberation of occupied
territories of Azerbaijan within country’s territorial integrity,"
he said.
Armenian foreign minister also said that it is impossible to solve
the Nagorno Karabakh conflict without direct participation of the
separatist Karabakh in the negotiations.