BEIRUT, LEBANON (4:00 P.M.) – The President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, accused the Minsk group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which is the mediator in the conflict over the Karabakh region, of its lack of impartiality and of working to “save” Armenia.
In a speech to the people on Monday, Aliyev said: “What is the activity of this Minsk group? Can you or do you want to pressure the occupier? No. I have raised this issue more than once: If you want to solve the problem, it is necessary to impose sanctions on Armenia. The matter is in your hands. You are permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, you can solve the urgent problem.”
He continued, “I tell the supporters of Armenia that if you want to save it, tell it to withdraw from our lands, so with your word, it will withdraw.”
The Azerbaijani President said that “those who want a ceasefire send weapons to Armenia,” and that he has a list of the names of those countries.
He stressed, “As soon as we started to liberate our lands from occupation, we began to be under pressure from all parties. Why did the Minsk group fail to solve the problem for 28 years? Journeys, meetings and negotiations – we are tired of these negotiations with the enemy.”
Aliyev added, “Today all capabilities are mobilized against us. I endured the matter for a month, a whole month! I did not talk about that but we were really tired. This is first. Secondly, the mediator must be neutral, and if not, then he should withdraw his candidacy .. on the mediating countries.”
It is noteworthy to mentionthat the Minsk Group, headed by Russia, the United States and France, has been mediating in the Karabakh peace talks since the 1994 ceasefire between the two parties.
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