Azernews.Az

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has explained the current tensions in Armenia by the incompetence of its leadership.
"The political situation in Yerevan is very tense and this is a result of unbethought steps and incompetence of this country's leaders," Aliyev told the public in Naftalan as he started a visit to Azerbaijan's western regions on Monday.
Thousands of Armenian demonstrators protested for 10 days after the February 19 presidential election that they say was rigged. The protests have been marred by violent clashes that caused human casualties. Eight people were reportedly killed and 131 injured, including 33 law enforcers, during the clashes in the capital Yerevan late on Saturday.
Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian won the election, according to official tallies. President Robert Kocharian is acting as head of state pending inauguration of the new leader due on April 9. But opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrosian's camp says their candidate won at the polls but the election results were rigged in favor of Sarkisian, who won 53 percent of the vote. Ter-Petrosian came second with 21.5 percent.
President Aliyev said Armenia's policy of occupation was the root cause of this predicament. He emphasized that Yerevan's erroneous policy has led to the country's being left out of the projects being implemented in the South Caucasus region, and Azerbaijan in particular.
Aliyev stressed that stability in any given country is linked with development. "If stability is there, there is development, and the other way round."
The Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry spokesman Khazar Ibrahim told journalists that Azerbaijan did not interfere with the internal affairs of any other state and had no intention to take advantage of the turmoil in Armenia.
"This would not be in line with either our traditions or the policy we are pursuing. We believe that the developments in Armenia are this country's internal affair. But the impact of these developments in the country that occupies part of Azerbaijan's territories on the negotiating process would be undesirable."
Commenting on the recent statement that Garabagh talks have been put on hold till fall made by Armenian President Kocharian, Ibrahim said: "Azerbaijan has repeatedly stated that no pretexts should be brought up and the negotiating process is to continue. If we dodge negotiations by looking for pretexts, naturally, it will be extremely difficult to achieve progress. The Armenian side should therefore take a constructive position."
Ibrahim noted that the mediating OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen were interested in further peace talks. He added that Yerevan should duly assess the stance of both Azerbaijan and the international community as well as the situation that has emerged.
Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a cease-fire in 1994, but Armenia continues to occupy Upper Garabagh and seven adjacent Azerbaijani districts in defiance of international law. Despite numerous rounds of OSCE-brokered negotiations, peace talks have been fruitless so far and refugees remain stranded.