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Elmar Mammadyarov: â€œThe co-chairing countries have presented some amendments to Madrid proposalsâ€

05 December 2008 13:49 (UTC +04:00)

Azerbaijanâ€™s Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov told journalists, APAâ€™s special correspondent reports from Helsinki. He said they had analyzed the amendments and the issue might be discussed in the next meetings of both foreign ministers and presidents. Elmar Mammadyarov said the next meeting of the presidents would be held the following year. Asked whether the final declaration of OSCE Ministerial Council would include the issue on Azerbaijanâ€™s territorial integrity, Elmar Mammadyarov said Azerbaijanâ€™s territorial integrity was not questionable.
â€œThis principle is also reflected in Moscow Declaration. The declaration says that the conflict will be solved basing on the international legal norms, adopted resolutions and decisions. Those resolutions and decisions unambiguously recognize Azerbaijanâ€™s territorial integrity. I do not believe that any country or an international organization doubt Azerbaijanâ€™s territorial integrity. The only country trying to do it is Armenia,â€ he said.

Asked about Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandianâ€™s statement that Azerbaijan did not interpret Moscow Declaration properly, Elmar Mammadyarov underlined that he did not want to go into details.
â€œHe may say something on internal political purposes. I do not want to speak about it. You can show the Declaration to the experts on international law if you want. They can interpret what is written in the document,â€ he said.

Answering question about impact of intensifying negotiations on Azerbaijanâ€™s position the minister said: â€œAs a Foreign Minister, I want peaceful solution to the conflict. There is such opportunity so far and Moscow Declaration enhanced my hopes. Someone can make statement for the domestic policy, but the document is in the limelight and there is Russian presidentâ€™s signature thereâ€.

Reacting to the US co-chair Matthew Bryzaâ€™s statement about de-facto participation of Nagorno Karabakh Armenians in the negotiations, Mammadyarov said there could be a stage of discussions between the Nagorno Karabakh Armenian and Azerbaijani communities only after the withdrawal of Armenian troops from the occupied territories, opening of communications and returning of IDPs to their homelands. â€œThey should determine Nagorno Karabakhâ€™s status together â€“ of course, within Azerbaijanâ€.

Regarding the referendum about Nagorno Karabakhâ€™s status, Mammadyarov said any event should be prepared before it takes place. â€œLegal essence of this issue is out of question while there are no Azerbaijanis in Nagorno Karabakh. Armenians said they held referendum in Karabakh. What referendum do they speak about? A referendum in state of war at the point of gun? Such referendums can be held every day. We propose appropriate conditions for it and our position looks more topical on the back of latest events in the Caucasus. We should achieve progress, communications should be opened and the people should return homeâ€.