Today, Azerbaijan
May 1 2010

Center for Strategic Studies hosts ’roundtable’ on Kosovo and
Nagorno-Karabakh conflicts

01 May 2010 [11:42] – Today.Az

The Center for strategic studies under the Azerbaijan President has
hosted today a `roundtable’ meeting entitled `Kosovo and
Nagorno-Karabakh: differences and contradictions.’

The event was addressed by Celal Cem Oguz, head of the Turkish Center
for Strategic and International Studies, Mark Almond, professor in
international relations at Bilkent University and David Barchard,
lecturer at the same university.

The purpose of the event was to determine differences and contrasts
between Kosovo and Nagorno-Karabakh conflicts.

Cem Oguz said conflicts in the Balkans and South Caucasus must be
distinguished from each-other. He said Kosovo can not be a precedent
for Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and Armenians` relevant claims are
groundless.

Mark Almond drew attention to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, calling
the international community to increase efforts towards settling the
dispute.

David Barchard, in turn, said the fact that more than one million
Azerbaijanis were forced to leave their homelands was unacceptable. He
said the international community should contribute to ensuring rights
of Azerbaijani IDPs.

Attending the event, member of Azerbaijan Parliament Aydin Mirzazade
said there were great differences between Kosovo and Nagorno-Karabakh
conflicts. Mirzazade noted it was unacceptable to think that Kosovo’s
independence could set a precedent for settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

He underlined the fact that Armenia had occupied Nagorno-Karabakh and
adjacent regions were reflected in relevant documents adopted by
international organizations. The event was attended by officials, MPs,
diplomats and experts.

/AzerTac/

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