Question: Yesterday in Baku Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan said that he sees the future status of Nagorno Karabakh within Azerbaijan and the main problem is the settlement of the issue of “occupied territories” and the return of refugees in their homes. What would be your comment on this statement?

Answer: The important thing is not who and how sees, but who decides. And it is the people of Nagorno Karabakh that decides. This is also clearly stated in several details of the Madrid document, which was published in l’Aquila immediately after the statement of Presidents of Russia, the United States and France.

If Azerbaijan objects to this basic approach then it actually hampers the whole settlement process. It also hampers the settlement by objecting the participation of Nagorno Karabakh in negotiations as it is impossible to move forward the settlement without the direct participation of Nagorno Karabakh. Conserning the elimination of the consequences of the conflict, then it should be taken into account that the issues of Martakert, Martuni and Shahumyan of regions, occupied by the Azerbaijani side, as well as the return of refugees of those regions should be solved.
And of course the elimination of the consequences of the conflict should be solved along with the reasons of the conflict.
All these issues should be solved through negotiations, compromises and by peaceful means.