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President Ilham Aliyev: Armenian leader once more confirmed with his signature that the conflicting sides are Armenia and Azerbaijan only

21 November 2008 13:34 (UTC +04:00)

We are doing our best to make contribution to the security measures in the region and hope that due to the joint measures we will be able to turn the Caucasus to the zone of peace and cooperation,â€ Azerbaijanâ€™s President Ilham Aliyev said while meeting with the participants of the international roundtable â€œAzerbaijan in the 21st century â€“ the success of strategyâ€ held in Baku, APA reports.
The head of state touched on the causes of the failure.
â€œProtracted conflicts, violation of the countriesâ€™ territorial integrity, occupation of a part of our countryâ€™s territory by Armenia â€“ all this impede strengthening of security, regional cooperation and poses great threat to the peace in the Caucasus. The roots of Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh conflict are known to everybody. As a result of Armeniaâ€™s aggression and ethnic cleansing policy, one million Azerbaijanis have been displaced. 20 percent of Azerbaijanâ€™s territory is still under occupation, our countryâ€™s territorial integrity has been violated. The UN Security Council adopted four resolutions demanding the withdrawal of Armenian troops from the occupied territories, but these resolutions have not been fulfilled yet. These resolutions were adopted on the level of the largest international organizations and are not the only documents aiming to solve the conflict,â€ he said.

The president appreciated the Declaration signed in Moscow between the three presidents on the results of meeting held on the initiative of Russian president and emphasized that mechanisms to be laid on the basis of solution to the conflict were described in the document: â€œThese are norms and principles of the international law and resolutions and decisions made within this framework. This Declaration is very important political document containing ways of settlement quoting the resolutions of international organizations. Guarantees for every phase of solution to the conflict were described in the section Guarantees, considering phase-by phase settlement supported and insisted by Azerbaijan. Of course, it is important factor that the Declaration was signed by Armenia and Azerbaijan, the conflicting parties. There are no other parties in this conflict. It was always clear and now this fact was confirmed with the signature of Armenian presidentâ€.

The head of state said that adoption of Declaration was not enough: â€œFirst Armenian side needs in political will to make right decision, to withdraw from the lands never belong it, to end occupation, to put forward the policy within the international norms and international behavior rules. Then we can reach soonest peace in the Caucasus. Situation in the region is interesting for our neighbors and for entire world as well. The Caucasian and Caspian regions get new significance at the present time. Therefore it is necessary to make responsible decisions which will strengthen cooperation, trust and mutual understanding. We are making initiatives to provide active work toward thisâ€.