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Novruz Mammadov: â€œThe only way of Armenia is to release the occupied Azerbaijani territoriesâ€ â€“ INTERVIEW

Novruz Mammadov: â€œThe only way of Armenia is to release the occupied Azerbaijani territoriesâ€ â€“ <font color=red> INTERVIEW</font>

17 December 2009 11:11 (UTC +04:00)

- Before the last visit of the co-chairs, Russian Foreign Ministryâ€™s official said mediators submitted new version of the Madrid proposals to the sides. What is difference between this version and previous one?

- The essence of the Madrid proposals is that the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan should be secured and fate of any ethnic minority should be determined within the territorial integrity. This experience is used by many countries. There are countries where hundreds of thousands, millions ethnic minorities are living there and they determined their fate within these countries. Our neighbor Russian Federation can be an example for that. How many ethnic minorities are living there? All of them determined their fates. But according to the Armenian concept, there should be 20-30 countries in the territory of Russia. There are thousands and millions of ethnic minorities in the European countries. Should Armenia change the worldâ€™s order with its new concept now? The Azerbaijanâ€™s position is that its territory be liberated phase-by-phase. In the first phase, five or seven regions should be liberated, then status of the corridor between the Nagorno Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and Armenia should be determined and then other issues should be solved. The main issue is that there should be a transition period after these phases and returning of refugees and displaced person to their homeland. In a certain period, the discussions should be started over the status of Nagorno Karabakh to find a form that should be used for the determination of its status within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. Madrid proposals saved their essence and may be a short sentence was changed there.

- How do you value the last visit of the mediators?

- The co-chairsâ€™ visit followed the successful visit of President Ilham Aliyev to France, a country which is one of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs. Therefore negotiations between the Azerbaijani and French leaders were important. The co-chairs should hold some consultations over this issue and learn eh results of those negotiations from the presidents.

I should remind that last negotiations between the presidents had a positive dynamic. This year, the world community, particularly leading countries such as the United States, Russia and France increase their attention to this issue and they saw that indeed stability and security in the South Caucasus could be restored only through the solution of Nagorno Karabakh problem, which is the most painful and most important problem of the South Caucasus. In any case, the opening of borders and solution to this conflict link with each other. They understand that very well. But they are making some statements for certain interests now. All of the presidents of Russia, France and the United States stated in their meetings, phone conversations or correspondence with the Azerbaijani president that it is time for the solution to the conflict. What does it mean to open the borders? Today, in the period of crisis, Armenia has poor opportunities to maintain itself.

Armeniaâ€™s relations with Russia are not on the previous level, Armenia can not exist only at the cost of Iran. Armenia has isolated itself. Now Armenia needs a ventlight, an opening. This opening would be the opening of the borders between Turkey and Armenia. We see everything, the care of the West for Armenia. We do not protest against it. They can show their love, care as much as they want. But knowing Azerbaijanâ€™s importance they should not ignore us. Azerbaijan should be shown the attitude it deserves, because Azerbaijan is a state that has independent foreign and domestic policy and differs from others. As I have said, Armenia is in hard condition. The US, France, Russia, and even Armenian leadership understand that it is impossible to achieve stability, security in the region and development of Armenia as a state without solving the conflict. But on the other hand, the Armenian leadership understands that after the conflict is solved their people will wipe them out. Armenian leadership has always used the conflict as a means to come to power. Despite their fears, they took some steps, because they had no other alternative. Now, there is no way back. Azerbaijani President said in his speeches in November-December that our tolerance, patience is not endless, if no results are produced in this process, we have the right to seek for other variants. This message caused great anxiety in Armenia. For several weeks they have been speaking what they will do, if Azerbaijan starts war. The only way of Armenia is to release the occupied Azerbaijani territories through negotiations, within the framework of Madrid principles. There is no other way out, the protraction of the conflict will create serious problems for Armenia.

The aim of the co-chairsâ€™ visit was to specify Azerbaijani Presidentâ€™s position and prepare basis for the new meeting to be held early next year.

-Azerbaijan always says that it is ready to give the highest status to Nagorno Karabakh. Can Azerbaijan become a federative state after the final status of Nagorno Karabakh is determined?

-No, it canâ€™t. There is no ground for it. Azerbaijan is a unitary state and Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic exists within this framework. There was also Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Province. Now the question is the status that will be determined within the framework the vertical relations with Azerbaijanâ€™s central government. Within this framework any ethnic minority can achieve self-determination. What is the self-determination? The national minority may have the right to study in the mother tongue, develop culture, customs and traditions. There are hundreds of models in the world in connection with this, it is possible to use one of them. One of the best models is, as I have already said, Russian Federation. It will be determined in the process of negotiations on what variant we will reach agreement. It will be the last stage in the coordination of Madrid principles.