NOVRUZ MAMMADOV : "THE ONLY WAY OF ARMENIA IS TO RELEASE THE OCCUPIED AZERBAIJANI TERRITORIES"

Azerbaijan.az
Dec 18 2009

– Before the last visit of the co-chairs, Russian Foreign Ministry’s
official said mediators submitted new version of the Madrid proposals
to the sides. What is difference between this version and previous one?

– The essence of the Madrid proposals is that the territorial integrity
of Azerbaijan should be secured and fate of any ethnic minority should
be determined within the territorial integrity. This experience
is used by many countries. There are countries where hundreds of
thousands, millions ethnic minorities are living there and they
determined their fate within these countries. Our neighbor Russian
Federation can be an example for that. How many ethnic minorities are
living there? All of them determined their fates. But according to the
Armenian concept, there should be 20-30 countries in the territory of
Russia. There are thousands and millions of ethnic minorities in the
European countries. Should Armenia change the world’s order with its
new concept now? The Azerbaijan’s position is that its territory be
liberated phase-by-phase. In the first phase, five or seven regions
should be liberated, then status of the corridor between the Nagorno
Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and Armenia should be determined and
then other issues should be solved. The main issue is that there
should be a transition period after these phases and returning of
refugees and displaced person to their homeland. In a certain period,
the discussions should be started over the status of Nagorno Karabakh
to find a form that should be used for the determination of its status
within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. Madrid proposals
saved their essence and may be a short sentence was changed there.

– How do you value the last visit of the mediators?

– The co-chairs’ visit followed the successful visit of President
Ilham Aliyev to France, a country which is one of the OSCE Minsk Group
co-chairs. Therefore negotiations between the Azerbaijani and French
leaders were important. The co-chairs should hold some consultations
over this issue and learn eh results of those negotiations from
the presidents.

I should remind that last negotiations between the presidents had
a positive dynamic. This year, the world community, particularly
leading countries such as the United States, Russia and France increase
their attention to this issue and they saw that indeed stability and
security in the South Caucasus could be restored only through the
solution of Nagorno Karabakh problem, which is the most painful and
most important problem of the South Caucasus. In any case, the opening
of borders and solution to this conflict link with each other. They
understand that very well. But they are making some statements for
certain interests now. All of the presidents of Russia, France and
the United States stated in their meetings, phone conversations or
correspondence with the Azerbaijani president that it is time for
the solution to the conflict. What does it mean to open the borders?

Today, in the period of crisis, Armenia has poor opportunities to
maintain itself.

Armenia’s relations with Russia are not on the previous level, Armenia
can not exist only at the cost of Iran. Armenia has isolated itself.

Now Armenia needs a ventlight, an opening. This opening would
be the opening of the borders between Turkey and Armenia. We see
everything, the care of the West for Armenia. We do not protest against
it. They can show their love, care as much as they want. But knowing
Azerbaijan’s importance they should not ignore us. Azerbaijan should
be shown the attitude it deserves, because Azerbaijan is a state that
has independent foreign and domestic policy and differs from others.

As I have said, Armenia is in hard condition. The US, France, Russia,
and even Armenian leadership understand that it is impossible to
achieve stability, security in the region and development of Armenia
as a state without solving the conflict. But on the other hand, the
Armenian leadership understands that after the conflict is solved
their people will wipe them out. Armenian leadership has always
used the conflict as a means to come to power. Despite their fears,
they took some steps, because they had no other alternative. Now,
there is no way back. Azerbaijani President said in his speeches
in November-December that our tolerance, patience is not endless,
if no results are produced in this process, we have the right
to seek for other variants. This message caused great anxiety in
Armenia. For several weeks they have been speaking what they will
do, if Azerbaijan starts war. The only way of Armenia is to release
the occupied Azerbaijani territories through negotiations, within
the framework of Madrid principles. There is no other way out, the
protraction of the conflict will create serious problems for Armenia.

The aim of the co-chairs’ visit was to specify Azerbaijani President’s
position and prepare basis for the new meeting to be held early
next year.

-Azerbaijan always says that it is ready to give the highest status
to Nagorno Karabakh. Can Azerbaijan become a federative state after
the final status of Nagorno Karabakh is determined?

-No, it can’t. There is no ground for it. Azerbaijan is a unitary
state and Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic exists within this framework.

There was also Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Province. Now the question
is the status that will be determined within the framework the
vertical relations with Azerbaijan’s central government. Within this
framework any ethnic minority can achieve self-determination. What
is the self-determination? The national minority may have the right
to study in the mother tongue, develop culture, customs and traditions.

There are hundreds of models in the world in connection with this,
it is possible to use one of them. One of the best models is, as I
have already said, Russian Federation. It will be determined in the
process of negotiations on what variant we will reach agreement. It
will be the last stage in the coordination of Madrid principles.