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Araz Azimov: â€œWe hope that Russia will correct its activity in the process of the solution to Nagorno Karabakh conflictâ€

13 October 2011 15:05 (UTC +04:00)

Baku â€“ APA. â€œThe main goal in the solution to Nagorno Karabakh conflict is the regulation of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia on the basis on international law. It comprises unconditional recognition of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. We are ready to continue political efforts towards the settlement of the conflictâ€, Azerbaijanâ€™s Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov said in his interview with Ukraineâ€™s â€œDenâ€ newspaper.

Araz Azimov said the negotiations have not given results yet. â€œThe negotiations held within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has actively joined the negotiation process recently, but the negotiations have not given results yet. Unfortunately Kazan meeting didnâ€™t give any result and there was a break in the process. But President Aliyev and President Medvedev met in Sochi in August and we hope that Russia will correct its activity on the basis of the results of this meeting and together with other co-chairs of the Minsk Group will try to intensify the process. We are frequently hearing aggressive statements by the Armenian president, but we consider that these statements had speculative character. The question is about the statement made in New York about the necessity of recognition of the Nagorno Karabakhâ€™s independence. We also face with the facts that Armenia increases its efforts to purchase attacking weapons. I think they purposefully try to create crisis striving for soonest deployment of Russian peacekeepers. It is similar to August 2008 events in Georgia. Such crisis can lead to the negative consequences. Azerbaijan is not interested in any crisis. We are interested in peaceful and normal agreements that can ensure the territorial integrity and inviolability of our country, return population to the occupied territories, restore communications and establish cooperation with the neighboring countries for the settlement of political problems in the next phaseâ€.

Araz Azimov also assessed the role of Ukraine that it can play in the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict: â€œUkraine is the OSCE member like Azerbaijan and therefore there is a background for Ukraine to be interested in the soonest settlement of this conflict in terms of partnership and cooperation. We know that Ukraine supports the settlement of the conflict within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. At one time Ukraine assured our country that if peacekeeping operations are conducted in the conflict zone, it will be ready to participate in the OSCE multinational peacekeeping forces. Ukraine has all backgrounds to be interested in the settlement of this conflict. The factor of Ukraineâ€™s upcoming presidency in the OSCE will also play significant role. I would like to wish success to Ukraine, but there are certain difficulties in the context. We are hopeful for Ukraineâ€™s positive contribution to the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Ukraine has opportunities for thatâ€.