AZERBAIJAN WARNS OF ‘GREAT WAR’

Moscow Times
Feb 26 2010
Russia

BAKU, Azerbaijan — Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry warned on Thursday
that the risk of conflict over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh
was rising and that a "great war" in the South Caucasus was inevitable
if Armenian forces did not withdraw.

"Diplomats could not achieve concrete results for 15 years, and
Azerbaijan cannot wait another 15 years," an Azeri Defense Ministry
statement cited Minister Safar Abiyev as telling France’s ambassador
in Baku, Gabriel Keller.

"Now it is up to the military, and this danger is gradually
approaching. If the Armenian occupier does not liberate our lands,
the start of a great war in the South Caucasus is inevitable," it said.