February 18, 2011 - 12:00 AMT
Ayaz Mutalibov: new war in Karabakh depends on Russia, U.S. and EU

Ex-president of Azerbaijan Ayaz Mutalibov said that the Karabakh conflict is a complicated matter, which has not got its solution yet.

According to him, the Nagorno Karabakh conflict could be resolved late in 1980s or early in 1990s.

“An agreement could be reached during my tenure. Unfortunately, some geopolitical processes took place. And it did not depend on us. The states representing the international community have their own interests and they act basing on these interests. Currently, these states continuously make statements, gather and discuss something, but, unfortunately, in vain. Azerbaijan should be firm in its actions, strengthen its economy, while the authorities should improve relations with the people. Sooner or later, everyone will conceive that the Nagorno Karabakh conflict will be resolved in the framework of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity,” he said.

Mutalibov also thinks that the possibility of a war is indefinite currently. “I cannot say whether there will be a war soon or not. I can say only that nowadays Azerbaijan cannot be compared to the one 20 years ago from the point of view of economic and military development. We had neither army, nor economy when I was a president. A new war considerably depends on the attitude of the U.S., EU, Russia and others,” SalamNews quoted him as saying.