Azernews.Az

BAKU – Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has accused Armenia of violating the agreements reached during talks on settling the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and the statements passed, saying Yerevan’s failure to honor them diminishes mutual confidence.

President Aliyev told journalists after hosting his Swiss counterpart Micheline Calmy-Rey on Monday that Armenian troops’ killing a nine-year-old Azerbaijani child just days after the Russian-brokered meeting held on March 5 by the two countries’ presidents was proof of this stance.

"The latest example of this was the meeting organized by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in Sochi. As a result of that meeting, a joint statement was signed on confidence-building measures stating [the parties’] intention to resolve all controversial issues by peaceful means. But unfortunately, just three days thereafter the Armenians killed a nine-year-old boy. A nine-year-old boy is not a soldier, he is just a kid. So, how can we confide in someone committing such an act of violence? We can see that civilians, particularly children, are being targeted. This shows that the Armenian side is failing to honor its own signature, its own declaration."

President Aliyev said the Armenian troops’ killing a child could cause "a situation with unexpected consequences".

"We demand that the Armenians put an end to brutal attacks against our civilians, because this is neither the first time, nor, perhaps, the last one. On our end, there have never been such acts targeting civilians, including children."

The Karabakh conflict emerged in 1988 due to Armenia’s territorial claims. Azerbaijan and Armenia waged a war in the early 1990s, which claimed some 30,000 lives and displaced about a million Azerbaijanis. About 20 percent of Azerbaijani territory, including Nagorno Karabakh and seven adjacent regions, has been under the occupation of the Armenian armed forces since a ceasefire was signed in 1994. The UN has passed four resolutions on an unconditional Armenian pullout, but none of them have been implemented to date. The OSCE Minsk Group-brokered peace talks have been largely fruitless so far.

Aliyev said the current format of peace talks could lead to a settlement of the Karabakh conflict.

"For this to happen, however, the Armenian side must have political will to enforce the resolutions of international organizations and conduct itself in accord with the spirit and shape of the negotiations."

The president said the issues currently under discussion could lead to restoration of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, as well as a return of all refugees and IDPs to their homes. At the same time, Baku could grant a status of self-determination to Nagorno Karabakh with firm political and security guarantees.

"This formula continues to be discussed. Azerbaijan, which adheres to a constructive stance in talks, is ready to continue negotiating in this format."

Aliyev termed 2010 as "a year of lost opportunities".

"In my view, in comparison with the previous year the Armenian side will understand more clearly that the only path to restoring peace and stability in the region is beginning to withdraw from the occupied territories."