Azerbaijan wants to know what happens

[ 28 Apr 2009 21:58 ] Brussels. Victoria Dementyeva – APA. On Tuesday, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev held joint press conference with President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso and answered the questions of journalists.

Head of the President’s Press Service Azer Gasimov informed about it. The Head of State also answered the questions regarding the discussions he had conducted with José Manuel Barroso about Turkey-Armenia rapprochement: “I have discussed a number of issues, including regional development and cooperation issues with the President of the European Commission. Of, course while talking about the regional cooperation, we could not leave aside of the latest developments in the region you have mentioned about. We have expressed our position on this issue many times. The position is that we never intervene in the affairs of other states and the relations between the two sovereign countries. This is the decision what Turkey and Armenia can make. It’s their choice how to continue their relations. But while touching on some comments about the historical roots of this issue, I want to remind that the border between Turkey and Armenia was closed in 1993 as a result of occupation of Azerbaijan’s territories by Armenia. This occupation is still continuing today. Today, Armenia still continues keeping the internationally-recognized territories of Azerbaijan under its occupation.

I reiterate that we do not have such a position to create obstacle for further development of relations between these two countries or prevent it. I want to mention that we also have a right to form our policy according to the new realities in the region and we will use this right. We receive different information from different sources. According to him, one source says that “Road Map” was accepted in certain circumstances, but another source says no circumstances have been determined yet. This is a kind of word game. I think the world, region and Azerbaijani People have a right to know what happens. Is Nagorno Karabakh problem left aside of Turkey-Armenia rapprochement? This is a very simple question and we need a very simple answer”.