Interfax, Russia
Feb 4 2010

Armenia: Azerbaijan taking destructive approach to Nagorno-Karabakh issue

YEREVAN Feb 4

Armenia’s foreign minister has slammed Azerbaijan for allegedly going
back on one of the principles for the settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict discussed at a Russian- brokered
Armenian-Azeri summit last week, namely a postulate that the disputed
enclave’s participation in settlement talks is essential.

"This is evidence of one more instance of the destructive approach on
the part of Azerbaijan," Edward Nalbandian told Armenia’s parliament.

"We have asserted repeatedly that the settlement of the Nagorno-
Karabakh conflict is impossible without the participation of Nagorno-
Karabakh. Such is our position, which the co-chairmen of the Minsk
Group of the OSCE understand," he said.

The Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe is a body mediating in the conflict.

Earlier, a source close to Nagorno-Karabakh talks had told Interfax
that the disputed region’s participation in settlement talks was among
settlement principles discussed by the Armenian, Azeri and Russian
presidents at a meeting in Sochi, Russia, on January 25.