Bryan Ardouny: Baku should agree to direct contact with Nagorno KarabakhJanuary 31, 2008 - 17:27 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The Wall Street Journal Europe today published a letter to the editor from the Armenian Assembly of America, in response to an editorial by Azeri Foreign Affairs Minister Elmar Mammadyarov entitled "The Caspian Moment." The Assembly letter sets the record straight on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and urges Baku to agree to confidence-building measures to further the negotiation process."The Wall Street Journal Europe Elmar Mammadyarov speaks about the need for, and benefits of a negotiated settlement in Nagorno-Karabakh ("The Caspian Moment," State of the Union, Jan. 21). But he refers to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's Minsk process - the negotiating framework for the Nagorno Karabakh peace process - only in passing. "Mr. Mammadyarov overlooks the fact that in the past 13 years, Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh have accepted numerous proposals as basis for negotiations - only to be rebuffed by Azerbaijan, which also refuses to undertake confidence-building measures. Instead, Azeri President Ilham Aliyev publicly stated earlier this month that "the war has not ended." "Furthermore, Mr. Mammadyarov asserts that "regional integration is a priority for Azerbaijan." In reality, Baku persists in its policy to isolate Armenia - from its continuing blockade in coordination with Turkey to a pipeline that circumvents Armenia. Rather than torpedo the recently intensified efforts by the mediators to reach a settlement, Azerbaijan should take these talks seriously, end the blockade, cease its bellicose statements and agree to confidence-building measures and direct contact with Nagorno Karabakh," Bryan Ardouny, Executive Director of the Armenian Assembly of America writes in his letter. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | The Power of One Dram to benefit Road of Life charity The companies inform that the May beneficiary of The Power of One Dram is the “Road of Life” charitable organization. Ucom General Director gives lecture at French University in Armenia The General Director of Ucom Ralph Yirikian delivered a lecture at the French University of Armenia. Kazakhstan welcomes Yerevan, Baku’s agreement to meet in Almaty Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has welcomed the agreement of Baku and Yerevan to hold negotiations in Almaty. Armenia offers to temporarily host, preserve Gaza manuscripts The Armenian Foreign Minister has said Yerevan is ready to help preserve manuscripts from the conflict zone in Gaza. |