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Azerbaijan not to Make Any Compromises in Ensuring Its Territorial Integrity: Minister of Defence

Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict Materials 29 May 2008 20:17 (UTC +04:00)

Azerbaijan, Baku , 29 May /corr.  TrendNews E.Huseynli / Azerbaijan's Minister of Defence said that Azerbaijan will not make any compromises in ensuring its territorial integrity. "If Armenia will be continuing to deny peaceful settlement of the problem, categorically Azerbaijan will not agree with it and will release its lands. Armenia should understand it forever," Azerbaijan's Minister of Defence, General-Colonel Safar Abiyev, said during his meeting with the Commander of Defense Forces of Estonia, General-Lieutenant Ants Laaneots, who is on visit to Baku.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries appeared in 1988 due to Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenia has occupied 20% of the Azerbaijani lands including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven surrounding districts. Since 1992 to the present time, these territories have been under Armenian occupation. In 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a cease-fire agreement at which time the active hostilities ended. The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Russia, France and USA) are holding peaceful negotiations.

Abiyev said that Armenia, who presents obstacles to the peaceful settlement of the conflict, does not fulfill requirements of the Resolutions being adopted by the UN Security Council. The Minister said that the experience gained by Estonia as a member of NATO is of great interest for Azerbaijan.  

In his turn, Commander of Defense Forces of Estonia said that development of the relations corresponds to the interests of both countries. Touching upon the conflict, the guest said that re-establishing the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan is the principal position for Estonia, and said that the occupied lands are integral part of Azerbaijan.

Commander of Defense Forces of Estonia, General-Lieutenant Ants Laaneots, arrived in Baku on 29 May with an official visit at invitation of his Azerbaijani colleague. 

The correspondent can be contacted at: [email protected]

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