Azernews.Az

The Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry has elaborated on the reports that emerged after the OSCE mediators submitted proposals on settlement to the Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict to the Azerbaijani and Armenian governments.
The Minsk Group co-chairs presented written proposals on the Garabagh settlement to the two countries' foreign ministers in Madrid on November 28. The document, forwarded prior to the opening of the OSCE Ministerial Council, is a set of basic principles for the peaceful settlement of the conflict to be further transmitted to the two presidents for consideration. Reports circulated afterwards concerning a purported plan on details of the conflict resolution.
The ministry spokesman Khazar Ibrahim said that possibly not all the seven, but five occupied Azerbaijani districts around Upper Garabagh will be freed at the initial stage. He told Radio Liberty that last week's proposals of the intermediaries reflect a stage-by-stage plan of conflict settlement that has long been under discussion.
"The execution of the plan will be carried out step by step. We have nothing to hide from the public. We are talking primarily of the [Armenian] withdrawal from the territories around Upper Garabagh. But this could take place in a phased manner, i.e. not all, but five of the [occupied] districts will be returned first. In the long run, however, Armenian forces are to pull out from all districts.
"If a possible peace accord is signed, the first step will be the Armenian troops' withdrawal from Azerbaijani land, while the last one - the determination of Upper Garabagh's status," Ibrahim said.
Azerbaijan and Armenia have been locked in conflict for over a decade. Some 30,000 people had been killed, and about 1 million driven from their homes as a result of hostilities. Peace talks that kicked off after the lengthy war ended with the signing of a cease-fire in 1994, but have brought little tangible result so far.
Commenting on Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian's statement that the status issue has already been agreed and the document submitted by the mediators reflected this, Ibrahim said most likely those saying this imply merely confirmation of Upper Garabagh's being an integral part of Azerbaijan. He reiterated Baku's intransigent stance, saying "the limit of Azerbaijan's concessions is below zero".
Touching on international organizations' concerns over Azerbaijan's belligerent rhetoric, Ibrahim said: "We are not trying to intimidate anyone by this and remain committed to peace talks. Baku is merely considering possible steps to be taken if all diplomatic resources are exhausted."

Parliament debate
The Azerbaijani parliament discussed the OSCE mediators' proposals on Friday.
The leader of the Whole Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan, MP Gudrat Hasanguliyev, referred to media publications concerning ongoing peace talks.
"The reports say that the co-chairs are making proposals not based on international law, Azerbaijan's sovereignty and the principles of justice. We should invite the foreign minister here and the Milli Majlis should state its position on the matter."
Hasanguliyev called on the government to take major steps towards settling the long-standing dispute. "So long as Azerbaijan will state that it backs a negotiated solution to the problem, Armenia will not accept concessions."
First Vice-Speaker Ziyafat Asgarov reminded that Azerbaijan has not yet unequivocally rejected the military option. He said the Azerbaijani government has assumed a commitment to seek a peaceful solution, but according to the UN by-laws, each country reserves the right to free its territories from occupying forces by any means.
"This means that we can go to war to liberate our land. But it is not the right time for this," the vice-speaker said but he did not cite a specific timeframe for the launch of military action.
Asgarov emphasized that Azerbaijan currently has both military power and economic potential to launch a war.
"We can resolve the Garabagh conflict through war any time. But we believe that peace talks should be continued at this point," he added.