U.S. DIPLOMAT’S STATEMENT ON NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT IS BASELESS: POLITICAL EXPERT

Today
Dec 2 2009
Azerbaijan

Day.Az: What are your views on a statement on the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict recently issued by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries’
foreign ministers?

Vafa Guluzade: The countries co-chairing the OSCE Minsk Group have to
make high-flown, but empty statements from time to time as there are
no real steps towards a just settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. These statements which lack a specific
and practical benefits are hailed as great success and a new step
towards resolving the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Q: Then what do you think about the statement by the U.S. Deputy
Secretary of State James Steinberg that Washington intends
to facilitate a final settlement to the Armenian-Azerbaijani
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict?

A: This is another baseless statement by the American diplomat. We
have heard similar statements by various U.S officials many times
while things are right where they started – Azerbaijan’s lands are
still under Armenian occupation. This fact suggests that the U.S. has
not yet been seriously engaged in resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. I can hardly believe the United States has changed its
attitude.

Q: Is any decision likely to be adopted during Turkish Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to the U.S.?

A: One should not expect it due to Turkey’s lack of leverage on the
United States. The opposite of it is likely to happen – during the
visit Turkish prime minister will be demanded to open Turkish-Armenian
border opened until April next year. Meantime, the Turkish media will
try to present prime minister’s visit to Washington as exclusively
associated with ways of settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Q: So, you do not rule out that Turkish-Armenian border will open
before the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is resolved in a fair way?

A: I know one thing exactly – neither the Turkish nor American
propaganda will give an open and unambiguous answer to this question.

All indications are that the Turkish-Armenian border will open before
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is finally resolved.

Q: May opening of Turkish-Armenian border have a positive impact on
settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict?

A: Opening of Turkish-Armenian border may have a positive impact
on settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in future because
after Turkish-Armenian border is opened, Armenia will drift towards
the West which will solve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict based on
universally recognized norms and principles of international law. In
this connection, it would be appropriate to recall that the West,
the U.S., in particular, have declared recognition of Azerbaijan’s
territorial integrity on many occasions.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress