AZERI OFFICIAL SAYS KARABAKH SETTLEMENT MEETS EUROPE’S INTERESTS

news.az
Nov 20 2009
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan urges the European Union to play a more active role in the
resolution of the Karabakh conflict, Elnur Aslanov, chief of political
analysis and information department at Azerbaijan’s presidential
administration, has said.

"We want the EU to play a more active role in the resolution of
the Karabakh conflict", Aslanov told an international conference on
security in the South Caucasus that opened in Baku Friday.

He said the resolution of the Karabakh problem meets Europe’s interests
as transformation of Azeri occupied lands into an uncontrolled "grey
zone is not only a regional but also a common European threat".

"The withdrawal of troops from the occupied lands of Azerbaijan is the
only way out for Armenia from isolation. Azerbaijan will raise pressure
unless Armenia withdraws its troops from the occupied lands", he said.

The unsettled conflicts and application of double standards in their
settlement is a main threat to security in the South Caucasus. Despite
this, he said Azerbaijan continues rapid democratic and economic
development, the country contributes to the energy security of Europe
which was proven by the recent Bulgarian-Azerbaijani cooperation on
gas issue.

"Azerbaijan is among the rear countries that hold independent policy
in complex geopolitical conditions", Aslanov said.

In this connection, he stressed Azerbaijan’s intensive cooperation with
Russia in particular on gas and cooperation with the United States.

Then he said Azerbaijan builds its external policy based on the
development of regional cooperation and partner relations with all
the interested countries.

Speaking of Azerbaijan’s progress, Askanov said the country is
developing steadily and if in 2003 poverty rate made 49%, in 2008 it
fell down to 13%.

Then he touched upon the issue of democratic processes in the region
and said "democracy cannot be exported, it should be studied and its
application should be based on historical and national and cultural
needs of the countries".