The President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliev has reviewed the work of the Government in a wide ranging speech to the Cabinet of Ministers during which he also referred to ongoing negotiations on the Karabakh conflict.
President Aliev spoke about the intensification of the diplomatic activity around the Karabakh conflict resolution process, including contacts with the Presidents of France, the US and Russia. He said that the negotiations on Karabakh were in a decisive stage. The President however said Armenia had for the last twenty years tried to maintain the status quo. The President dismissed the possibility of Nagorno-Karabakh becoming independent and said that Azerbaijan will continue to pursue the restoration of its territorial integrity.
Aliev said it was time to talk openly about the Madrid principles.
AzerTaj news agency quotes President Aliev as saying:
"I believe that this issue should not be any doubts and misunderstandings. I think the time has come to talk about it. First of all, there is provided for withdrawal of occupation forces of Armenia from the occupied lands. Included the immediate withdrawal of Armenian troops from five districts in five years - from the two regions and the return of Azerbaijani citizens to their native lands. These proposals also have been providing temporary status to Nagorno Karabakh. The functioning of the corridor between Nagorno Karabakh and Armenia was also in those principles. To ensure the safety of both Armenian and Azerbaijani population was necessary input to the region of peacekeeping forces. Also was to be ensured the return of all the people in the former places of residence”.
According to the news agency Aliev dismissed the Armenian response after the Kazan summit as inappropriate and hysterical, and aimed at maintaining the status quo.
source: commonspace.eu newsroom
photo: President Aliev addressing the Cabinet of Ministers on 12 July 2011 (photo courtesy of www.president.az)
