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Azerbaijanâ€™s Deputy Foreign Minister: â€œArmenia says it needs time to withdraw troops from Lachin and Kelbajarâ€

04 May 2010 12:53 (UTC +04:00)

He also made comments on the conditions of opening the Turkish-Armenian borders. â€œThe Turkish-Armenian borders could be opened in the first stage only under the conditions of withdrawal of Armenian troops from five occupied regions of Azerbaijan and Lachin corridor. It will create conditions for Turkish-Armenian cooperation, as well as trilateral trade relations between Turkey, Azerbaijan and Armenia. Rejecting all these conditions Armenia lost everything. Armenia can lose good prospects because of political views of president Sargsyan or anyone elseâ€.

Azimov said there should be suitable conditions for returning of Azerbaijanis to Nagorno Karabakh and living together with Armenians there, giving temporary status to them, as well as beginning of economic restoration by the Government of Azerbaijan there. The deputy minister said it was impossible in present time and added that it needs to restore the Constitution of Azerbaijan in Nagorno Karabakh and the status should be determined within the Constitution and coordinated with the local people. â€œIt should be carried out phase-by-phase. The regions of Aghdam, Fuzuli, Jabrayil, Zangilan, Gubadli and Lachin corridor must be liberated. Armenia says it needs in time to withdraw its troops from Lachin and Kelbajar. This time should be scheduled. The co-chairs have a proposal on this issue. It needs to schedule not only the withdrawal from Lachin and Kelbajar, but also for returning of Azerbaijanis to Karabakh. When they will return and will they receive status by returning? The liberation of five regions + Lachin corridor should be legalized with same documentâ€.

Regarding the replacing of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing countries, Azimov said this issue was not on agenda in present time.