Azerbaijani MP: Sides to Nagorno-Karabakh conflict are at final stage of negotiations

How do you comment on outcomes of the Nagorno-Karabakh talks recently held in Sochi?

Scanty information was provided on outcomes of Sochi talks. But, I welcome this meeting. The Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents held a meeting already at the beginning of the year through mediation of the Russian president. This suggests that there is a search for common approaches to find acceptable positions.

The negotiation process continues which will lead to an end to the conflict between the parties.

I think there is a shift from the "dead end" and an agreement on common positions. Nevertheless, "bad peace is better than a good war.”

Following the talks in Sochi, Russia's Foreign Minister made a statement in which he talked about the preamble to the document on Karabakh conflict. In your opinion, what does this  preamble imply?

The Sochi meeting showed concrete results for the first time since the negotiations began. The preamble means common positions on which the parties have already agreed. This should not be seem minor or trivial issue. I think this is also result of painstaking and serious negotiations, given the fact that the parties usually come up with mutually exclusive positions.

If there is a preamble, then there is serious work on basic principles.

Basic principles are not the Madrid principles, but the principles under which the parties would agreed to end the confrontation.

It is very hard work, but, after all, the parties should find common ground. This common position is nothing new for the world. This is respect for territorial integrity and noninterference in internal affairs of each other.

I think these principles are also very relevant for Armenia today. These principles will enable Armenia to withdraw from a difficult situation in which it drove herself and will lay the groundwork for lasting peace in the region.

How do you asses Russia’s stepped up efforts to solve Nagorno-Karabakh conflict?

I would like to express my satisfaction with the positive role Russia plays in this process. Russia is more than simply one of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs. The Russian leader was directly involved in the negotiation process already for the third time giving it momentum.

I think this has a positive impact on those results which the parties seek.

Following the Sochi meeting, Russian co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group said that Azerbaijan and Armenia will submit their proposals to the provisions of the Madrid document on which the sides still lack mutual understanding in two weeks. Does this mean that the negotiations are in a final stage?

It's too early to speak so optimistic. But it is good that the parties are already working on specific issues. It is good that there are concrete results.

The world and society of both countries know that serious work underway on the final document. A common preamble which satisfies both parties has been agreed upon.

So, new meetings will be held and every meeting will achieve new results.

I think that there are prerequisites to say that the parties are in the final stage. But  it is hard to predict when the negotiations will complete and the parties will submit a coherent position to their peoples.

It is high time to settle the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. This requires very small - just Armenia’s denouncing territorial claims against neighbors, a desire to cooperate and respect their territorial integrity. In this regard, Azerbaijan's position is clear enough and it was expressed repeatedly by the country’s leader.

N. Abdullayeva