10.07.2000, MEDIAMAX, YEREVAN. "We are utterly amazed by the declaration of Mr. Abiyev. An impression is created that the Defense minister of Azerbaijan is not aware of the statements of president Heydar Aliyev that official Baku is speaking for peace settlement of Karabakh problem solely", about this declared in the interview to MEDIAMAX the Armenian high rank official, commenting upon the statement of the defense minister of Azerbaijan published in Russian press on July 7.
On July 7 the Russian "Vremya MN" paper published on top page the article" Baku threatens Karabakh with a sword". In particular, it read: "Unless the peace negotiations through the mediation of OSCE Minsk group undo the Karabakh knot, Azerbaijan will cut it with a sword. In other words, the military forces of Azerbaijan will perform their function of defending the territorial integrity of the country. This is the main point of the statement of Azerbaijani defense minister, General-Colonel Safar Abiyev".
"We considered the recurrent statements of Azerbaijani opposition forces about the necessity of solving the Karabakh problem in a military way as election rhetoric", said the Armenian official to MEDIAMAX."But if these appeals are supported by the defense minister of Azerbaijan, we can't be but worried and bewildered", declared the Armenian diplomat. --0--