AZERBAIJAN RECOGNIZED NKR’S INDEPENDENCE IN 1994: SHAVARSH KOCHARYAN

Tert.am
22.03.10

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev uttered the usual monologue about a
dialogue that did not take place, RA Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh
Kocharyan told local news agency Mediamax, while commenting on several
of Aliyev’s statements on settling the Nagorno-Karabakh (NKR) conflict.

"According to that monologue, Azerbaijan has in principle finished
the talks conducted with itself and what it has achieved generally is
in Azerbaijan’s interests. … More likely he [Aliyev] cannot reach
an agreement even with himself," Kocharyan was reported as saying.

In his words, after having constitutionally established the inability
to replace a presidency that has been inherited, Aliyev has now
retained his right to speak on behalf of time, international law,
mediators, and the people of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.

"Baku pretends as if it does not understand that there is no
alternative to Nagorno-Karabakh’s independence be it now, in a
hundred years or ever. The Republic of Nagorno Karabakh is an
established state that meets the norms of international law, one
that has been able to resist Azerbaijani aggression and its policy
of ethnic cleansing. Yet Azerbaijan was obliged to sign a ceasefire
[agreement] with Nagorno-Karabakh and recognize its independence in
1994," said Kocharyan.

According to Kocharyan, Aliyev’s statements are strong proof that
he is not ready for constructive dialogue. Azerbaijan, still making
bellicose statements, now has the chance to withdraw its troops from
the occupied NKR territories and to begin negotiations with NKR till
the balloon of illusions and distortions pops, said Kocharyan.