AZERBAIJAN SEES ‘GREAT WAR’ RISK WITH ARMENIA

Agence France Presse
Feb 25 2010

Azerbaijan warned Thursday that the threat of conflict with Armenia
is rising fast and that a "great war" is inevitable if Armenian forces
fail to pull out of disputed Nagorny Karabakh.

"For 15 years diplomacy has not achieved any concrete results and
Azerbaijan cannot wait another 15 years," Defence Minister Safar
Abiyev said.

"Now it’s the military’s turn and the threat is growing every day," a
defence ministry statement quoted him as telling the French ambassador
to Baku, Gabriel Keller.

"If Armenia does not end its occupation of Azerbaijan’s territory,
the beginning of a great war in the South Caucasus is inevitable."

Tensions over Karabakh have grown in recent months amid efforts by
Armenia and Turkey, a close ally of Azerbaijan, to establish diplomatic
ties and reopen their border after decades of hostility.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress