ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES, OPPOSITION UNANIMOUS ON AZERBAIJAN’S HARD LINE

news.am
March 22 2010
Armenia

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry’s statement in response to RA
President Serzh Sargsyan’s proposal to sign a peace treaty between
Armenia and Azerbaijan is one more proof that Azerbaijan has not
changed its style, Galust Sahakyan, Chairman of the Republican Party
of Armenia (RPA) parliamentary faction, told NEWS.am.

"Azerbaijan is not ready for a constructive dialogue over
Nagorno-Karabakh, and its Foreign Office’s statement is striking
evidence thereof," Sahakyan said. As to whether Baku’s response can
be viewed as a signal of resumption of hostilities, he pointed out
that such a threat is always existing, especially amid intensified
domestic political processes in the conflicting countries. "I would
like to remind you that elections are to be held in Nagorno-Karabakh
this year," Sahakyan said.

Commenting on the Azerbaijani President’s statement ruling
out Nagorno-Karabakh’s independence, Sahakyan pointed out that
Nagorno-Karabakh has never been part of independent Azerbaijan,
and the principle of territorial integrity is irrelevant in this case.

"The principle of territorial integrity must not be superior to that
of self-determination. If the world had adhered to the principle of
territorial integrity, no more than 15 states would be on the map now.

Therefore, in most case priority was given to peoples’ right to
self-determination," Sahakyan said.

Stepan Safaryan, Chairman of the Heritage parliamentary faction,
stressed that the statements made by the Azerbaijani President and
Foreign Office is evidence of that country’s hard and uncompromising
line in the negotiations. "Baku’s statements show that Azerbaijan
is not ready for any concessions in the negotiations. Therefore,
the Armenian side must assume a similar position – we must not make
unilateral concessions," he said.

The Azerbaijani President recently stated that "any status of
Nagorno-Karabakh outside Azerbaijan is out of the question." "It will
not happen – neither tomorrow, nor in 100 years, never. We cannot
accept it, and it is our position of principle. Nagorno-Karabakh
will never be granted independence. Azerbaijan will never recognize
Nagorno-Karabakh’s independence — nor will the rest of the world,"
the Azeri leader said.

The same day, Elhan Poluhov, Spokesman for the Azerbaijani Foreign
Office, responded to RA President Serzh Sargsyan’s proposal during
his interview with EuroNews. Poluhov stated that Baku is ready,
but "only after the cause of the threat has been removed, that is,
an end to the occupation of Azerbaijani territories. Before calling
on the opposite side not to use force, let the Armenian President
answer the question about which side was the first to use force."