The murder of an Armenian soldier on the contact line between the Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijani armed forces on the threshold of the Armenian-Azerbaijani-Russian presidential meeting in Sochi proves that Azerbaijan is not ready for peace talks within the OSCE Minsk Group. So the conflicting parties are unlikely to reach an agreement, Nari Zohrabyan, a member of the Prosperous Armenia parliamentary faction, told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

Azerbaijan must realize that the Nagorno-Karabakh problem can be resolved only with equal application of international legal norms, namely, peoples’ right to self-determination, territorial integrity and nonuse of force. Azerbaijani top officials interpret self-determination only as their own understanding of territorial integrity. They will not accept the fact that Nagorno-Karabakh has never been part of independent Azerbaijan. “Of course, it even adds to Azerbaijan’s destructive position,” Zohrabyan said.

It is time for the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair states, as well as for the international community, to clearly state their attitude to Azerbaijan’s destructive position, its warlike statements and increasing military budget.

“The international community must clearly state its attitude to the statements by the Azerbaijani President, as well as by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Defense, which do not rule out the possibility of Azerbaijan’s resuming hostilities. As long as the OSCE Minsk Group’s statements are not addressed to a particular party, Azerbaijan will go on with its destructive behavior,” Zohrabyan said.

Armenian News-NEWS.am reminds readers that Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan is to go on a working visit to Sochi on March 5. The 8th Armenian-Azerbaijani-Russian presidential meeting is to be held there on the initiative, and with participation, of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.