Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
Aug 18 2004
K.KOSACHEV: RUSSIA RECOGNIZES TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY OF AZERBAIJAN
[August 18, 2004, 16:20:03]
Russia’s stance is unambiguous: the Russian Federation recognizes
territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, and this fact is reflected in a
plenty political documents signed between Azerbaijan and Russia ,
Chairman of the International Affairs Committee of the Russian State
Duma Konstantin Kosachev told AzerTAj Moscow -based reporter.
Overwhelming majority of the Russian State Duma members, according to
him, support the thesis on Russia’s recognition of the territorial
integrity of Azerbaijan.
Asked how does Russia value the facts of Armenia’s military exercises
in the occupied Azerbaijani territories and the `elections’ in
Nagorno-Karabakh, and can Azerbaijan count on fair stance of the
Russian Federation as the OSCE Minsk group co-Chair considering that
Armenia is a Russia’s military appendage, Konstantin Kosachev noted
that Russia’s only aspiration is to work not in favor of either side
but enduring resolution of the conflict that, according to him, is
possible only in case of peaceful, not military methods. Russia will
accept any decision made by Azerbaijan and Armenian for the
conflict’s resolution, he said.
Commenting on why does Russia not urge Armenia to fulfill the UN SC
four resolutions on release the occupied Azerbaijani territories,
whereas Russia stands for the UN’s leading role in solving
international problems, Mr. Koshachev said: Russia has always
supported these resolutions, and confirms its positions in both OSCE
and Minsk Group. However, he added, we believe that the role of third
countries here is minimal, and bears just intermediary character. But
our role, at the same time, our historical mission is to make the
Armenian side sure to accept the principles on which the
international law is based, the Chairman concluded.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress