Baku Threatens Armenia with War While in Turkey

13:22 ¢ 03.04.10

Azerbaijan is committed to a peaceful resolution of its
Nagorno-Karabakh dispute with Armenia, but it may resort to military
measures in the future if efforts to end the dispute through talks
fail, a senior official of the Azerbaijani administration said on
Friday, reports Turkish news source Today’s Zaman.

Ramiz Mehdiyev, the head of the Azerbaijani presidential
administration, speaking to editors-in-chief of television news
programs and newspapers in Ä°stanbul, said:

`Azerbaijan has committed itself to resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh
dispute peacefully. But we may bring to the table other options,
including military measures, in the future if this method fails to
produce an outcome. Our patience is wearing thin.’

Mehdiyev had talks with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ErdoÄ?an,
Parliament Speaker Mehmet Ali Å?ahin and Foreign Minister Ahmet
DavutoÄ?lu during his three-day official visit to Turkey. He described
the meetings as `extremely useful’ at the meeting with media
representatives.

Turning his attention to the Armenia-Turkey Protocols, Mehdiyev said
the signing of the protocols cannot harm Azerbaijani-Turkish relations
because they are two `brother nations.’

He also said the Turkish officials he had met in Ankara reaffirmed
that the Turkish-Armenian border would not be opened before the
Karabakh problem is solved. Turkey closed its border because of
Nagorno-Karabakh, and it will not be reopened unless the occupation of
the territory is ended, he said.

The head of Azerbaijan’s presidential staff also told reporters that
he was discontent with the OSCE Minsk Group’s activities, saying that
their efforts have not brought about any outcome and that the group
was not doing what is needed to be done.

Tert.am