ELDAR NAMAZOV: IT’S UNACCEPTABLE FOR AZERBAIJAN TO HOLD TALKS WITH KARABAKH WITHOUT PARTICIPATION OF ARMENIA
PanARMENIAN.Net
18.09.2007 12:45 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "It is unacceptable for Azerbaijan to hold
talks with the Armenian community of Nagorno Karabakh without the
participation of Armenia," independent political scientist, former
assistant of Azerbaijan President, Eldar Namazov said when commenting
on the proposals of the Russian, Yuri Merzlyakov and French, Bernard
Fassier, Co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group regarding the necessity to
bring together the heads of the Armenian and Azerbaijani communities
of Nagorno Karabakh to the talks on the Karabakh conflict settlement.
"The talks should take place between Azerbaijan and Armenia whose
army has occupied Azerbaijani territories. Only after withdrawal of
the Armenian armed forces from our land and refusal from territorial
claims, can we hold talks with the Armenian community of Nagorno
Karabakh within the Azerbaijani State," he said.
"Azerbaijan does not protest against involvement of the Armenian
community in the talks, but insists on the participation of the
Azerbaijani community in the talks. Initially the talks were
attended by the two conflicting sides, Azerbaijan and Armenia and
two interested sides, the Armenian and Azerbaijani communities of
Nagorno Karabakh. However, later the format of talks was changed and
the process was attended by only Azerbaijan and Armenia," he said.
"Currently Armenia considers that the Armenian community of Nagorno
Karabakh should negotiate with not the Azerbaijani community
of Nagorno Karabakh, but the Government of Azerbaijan. "It means
that the status of the Armenian community arises up to the level of
independent state. Such a format is unacceptable for Azerbaijan,"
the political scientist resumed said.
"Azerbaijan will accept talks with Armenian community of Nagorno
Karabakh if only Armenia recognizes the territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan and stands away," said the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry
Spokesman, Khazar Ibrahim on 17 September, Trend news agency reports.