June 9, 2006 - 15:50 AMT
OSCE MG to Choose Stepwise Settlement of Karabakh Problem, Baku Says
"The Bucharest talks proved that Armenia is not ready for the stepwise settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh problem. International organizations including the OSCE Minsk Group come to understand that only the stepwise settlement can lead to conclusion of a peaceful agreement," Azeri political scientist Eldar Namazov stated in an interview with Real Azerbaijan newspaper. In his words, the possibility of signing a peaceful agreement will appear after 2008 only.

"Sooner or later Azerbaijan will liberate all its lands by force. There is no third variant. The longer the problem lasts the more Armenia loses. It fell aside all the economic projects in the region. If Armenians chose a correct position they would actively participate in all the regional projects referring to oil, gas and railway communications," he remarked.

Namazov considers that the OSCE MG Co-chairs will choose the stepwise settlement. The Co-chairs understand that not Nagorno Karabakh's status but the problem of territories should be discussed at the first stage. It's known that Armenia tries to exclude Lachin and Kelbajar from the list of territories, but this position is inadmissible for Azerbaijan," he said.