Armenian spokesman slams Azeri leader’s "belligerent" statement

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
5 May 07

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev once again made a belligerent
statement towards Armenia yesterday [4 May]. Aliyev said that he had
made public the content of the confidential talks [on the Karabakh
settlement] because the Armenian party was trying to distort the
essence of the current stage of the negotiations and agreements that
had been achieved.

Aliyev said that Armenia had suggested that they return five [occupied]
districts, but he had demanded that Armenia return seven districts
[around Nagornyy Karabakh, controlled by Armenians]. It is obvious that
Aliyev is trying to aggravate domestic political situation in Armenia.

[Passage omitted: about Azerbaijani newspaper Zerkalo’s comments on
Aliyev’s statement]

The Azerbaijani president’s belligerent statements and threats to use
force to settle Nagornyy Karabakh conflict show that Azerbaijan does
not respect [its] international obligations, acting spokesman of the
Armenian Foreign Ministry Vladimir Karapetyan has said.

Armenia’s position on the settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict
has not changed and is based on the recognition of Karabakh’s right to
self-determination, Karapetyan said.