Mamedyarov: Azerbaijan wants step-by-step solution of Nagorno-Karabakh problem

Azerbaijan wants to achieve a step-by-step settlement of the Karabakh problem, said Elmar Mamedyarov, head of Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), while making comments on the results of the meeting held in New York by Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, Azerbaijan and Armenia, as the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

"If Armenia thinks of itself as a Caucasian country, it should live in peace and accord with its neighbours," Mr Mamedyarov said in his interview to the Voice of America Radio. Asking the question on possible progress in settling the Karabakh conflict, Elmar Mamedyarov has noted that on August 1, at his meeting in Moscow with co-chairs of the Minsk Group of the OSCE, an arrangement was reached to hold the next meeting in New York within the UN General Assembly. After Turkey has initiated its Peace and Stability Platform, an agreement was reached to hold a new meeting of Foreign Ministers of the three countries.

To the question on the reality of the initiative of peace and stability on Caucasus, once there is the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, Minister Mamedyarov said that for achieving stability in the Caucasus, we need "to reach a new stage" in Karabakh settlement. The Azerbaijani party put the issue like that: liberation of seven occupied districts around Nagorno-Karabakh, withdrawal of Armenian troops from there and return of Azerbaijan refugees. After that, it will possible to pass over to the next stage. The conflict is very deep; therefore, Azerbaijan offered a step-by-step settlement.

"I also think the step-by-step settlement of the Karabakh conflict to be most acceptable. We should have long ago set up if not a dialogue, but at least contacts with Karabakh Armenians," said political scientist Arif Yunus. As he said, refusal from contacts with Karabakh Armenians "was our greatest mistake."

The source has emphasized in his conversation with the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that "one should not cherish illusions that once Armenian troops leave the occupied territories, Karabakh Armenians will hurry up to embrace us."