Azerbaijan spells out Karabakh resolution principles

Monday, 15 March 2010 11:41

Azerbaijan's foreign minister, Elmar Mammadyarov, has outlined the updated Madrid principles for a settlement to the Karabakh conflict.

The principles say that during the first stage Armenia must withdraw its troops from five of the seven occupied districts around Nagorno-Karabakh, plus 13 villages in the sixth district - Lachin, Elmar Mammadyarov told a joint news conference in Baku on Monday, following talks with his Slovak counterpart Miroslav Lajcak.
'Then all the borders and communications are opened, a donor conference is held, land and communications are rehabilitated, programmes begin and the question of international observers is resolved, which is very important from the point of view of the security of the forced migrants who return there, then troops are withdrawn from Lachin and Kalbajar and all roads are opened. After the Azerbaijani community has returned to Karabakh the final stage will be possible - the process to determine the status of Karabakh can begin.'
'Karabakh is Azerbaijani land,' Mammadyarov said. 'It's not right for any territory to be beyond its administrative control. Of course, we say that all issues must be resolved within the framework of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity. As for self-determination, this issue is also part of international law. But this does not mean that territorial integrity can be violated. We have said many times that there are various forms of autonomous status worldwide. For example, the Tatars and Bashkirs have self-determination but within the Russian Federation.'
Asked about the possibility of a military solution to the conflict, Mammadyarov said that the Azerbaijani side had chosen the path of a peaceful settlement, but at the same time 'it is analysing all possible scenarios of the negotiation process'.

'Azerbaijan's position is fair and we accept the Madrid principles. We believe that any conflict should be settled peacefully and there are opportunities for this,' he said.

The minister noted that the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia had met several times in recent years, which had resulted in the submission of the updated version of the Madrid principles to the parties in November last year.

'We believe that this document creates opportunities for the preparation of a major agreement. This means that we have chosen and are following the diplomatic path,' the minister said.
'If the Armenian side withdraws from the land, it will open up great opportunities for regional development both in economic terms, and in terms of improving people's living conditions. As foreign minister, I believe that this is the best way to solve the conflict, because in this case there will be no war rhetoric,' he said.
Referring to recent statements by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairman from France, Bernard Fassier, Mammadyarov said he would meet the French diplomat separately during the co-chairs' next visit to Azerbaijan.
Armenian news agencies reported Fassier as telling a NATO seminar in Yerevan on Friday that, 'Azerbaijan’s victory in the event of renewed war is impossible, because I know about the bravery of Armenian and Karabakh warriors.'