Answer to the president’s statement

28/03/2010

“First of all we are speaking of the self-determination right of the people of Karabakh. When this issue is resolved, the regulation of the other regional issues will be fast and easy,” said RA president Serzh Sargsyan in his interview given to Euronews last week, “It is clear that we, the Armenians, are more interested in the settlement of the conflict, but settlement in the long-term run in order to recover peace and security in the region, but not to give Karabakh to Azerbaijan, which will mean annihilation of Karabakh.” He also called on Azerbaijan to sign an agreement on non-use of force. In answer to these announcements the Azeri president said on Saturday in Baku in a speech on the celebration of Navruz, “The main part of the negotiations on Karabakh is over, and the recommendations mostly comply with the interests of Azerbaijan, guarantee territorial integrity and return of all of the occupied lands under the control of Azerbaijan.” Aliyev said every year Azerbaijan will increase the amount of money spent on defense, strengthening of the army and purchasing new armaments.