...

Trust atmosphere should be created between Armenian, Azerbaijani nations (UPDATE)

Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict Materials 3 July 2009 18:02 (UTC +04:00)
Trust atmosphere should be created between Armenian, Azerbaijani nations (UPDATE)

Azerbaijan, Baku, July 3 / Trend , U.Sadikhova/

A trust atmosphere should be formed between the Armenian and Azerbaijani nations, Azerbaijani Ambassador to Russia Polad Bul-Bul oglu said in Khankandi on July 3, the Armenian media reported.

"I want to note that neither Armenians nor Azerbaijanis will fly to cosmos. As we will live together, we should create contacts, relationship and respect each other," the ambassador said as part of the Azerbaijani parliamentary delegation's visit to Khankandi to carry out public diplomacy.

Azerbaijani and Armenian Ambassadors to Russia Polad Bul-Bul oglu and Armen Smbatian, as well as Head of Federal Agency for Culture and Cinematography Mikhail Shvydko are on visit in the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. On July 3, Smbatian , Polad Bul-Bul oglu and Shvydko met with the President of the unrecognized NKR Bako Saakyan in Khankandi, the Armenian media reported.

Unlike the first visit to Khankandi two years ago, Bul-Bul oglu said there were hot debates at this time. The ambassador said this meeting did not aim to change the negotiations between the two countries' presidents and foreign ministers. 

"As three former culture ministers, we have initiated to give opportunity to people to communicate between each other. Today, some proposals have been sounded about different humanitarian projects which can close Armenian and Azerbaijani people's positions," the ambassador said.

Bul-Bul oglu regretted that many journalists from both sides sin by creating the opposite side of the enemy's image.

"This is very bad, because the journalists are the fourth power. On the contrary, today it is necessary to convince people that we should live in good neighborly and extend hands to each other, and find unity, rather than separate issues," he said.

"Our people have lived together for centuries and I am deeply confident that the time will pass and everything will be solved and we will once again live side by side and together," the ambassador said.

At the same time Bulbuloglu noticed that the format of public diplomacy promotes communication between the people and has been designated for disputes that may be hot.

The parties may be unhappy with each other, but need to talk and negotiate, he believes.

The ambassador believes that a problem emerged 18-19 years ago cannot be passed to next generations.

Moreover, the ambassador noted that he's crossing the Azerbaijani-Armenian border does not mean that he recognized the Nagorno-Karabakh.

"This is not a border, but a contact line," Bulbuloglu said.

A six-member Azerbaijani delegation, as well as two members of the Azerbaijani parliament Asim Mollazade and Tahir Rzayev and composer Siyavush Karimi arrived in Khankandi.

This is the second visit of the Azerbaijani and Armenian ambassadors to Russia to the Nagorno-Karabakh. Representatives of the Armenian and Azerbaijani intelligentsia visited Khankandi, Yerevan and Baku on June 28 in 2007 upon the initiative of the two countries' ambassadors to Russia.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the U.S. - are currently holding the peace negotiations.

Do you have any feedback? Contact our journalist at [email protected]

Latest

Latest