BAKU RESPONDS TO ARMENIAN MINISTER

news.az
March 17 2010
Azerbaijan

Edward Nalbandian Baku considers that the statement by the Armenian
FM in France about the inclusion of the separatist regime to the
negotiation process is not serious.

According to spokesman for the Foreign Ministry Elkhan Polukhov,
the discussions with the leadership of separatist Nagorno Karabakh
contradicts to the format of the OSCE Minsk Group.

"According to the regulation of the OSCE Minsk group, the negotiations
involve only Armenia and Azerbaijan as parties. The Armenian
and Azerbaijani communities of Nagorno Karabakh have a status of
concerned parties in the process of negotiations. If this format on the
conflict settlement is considered acceptable by the world community,
the Armenian party must reconcile with it", Polukhov said.

Armenian FM Edward Nalbandian visiting France touched upon the issue of
participation of separatist Nagorno Karabakh during the meeting with
the Minsk Group co-chairs. Nalbandian said the conflict settlement
is impossible without separatists.