Azerbaijan, Baku, 18 February / Trend corr E. Huseynli / According to the political scientist Aydin Mirzazade, a member of the Azerbaijani delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), recognition of Kosovo's independence cannot be a precedent for the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. "Regardless of statements made by Serj Sarkisian and other Armenian officials, the international community does not recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as an independent state," Mirzazade said to Trend on 17 February.
Prime Minister Serj Sarkisian, a presidential candidate in Armenia, welcomes the self-determination of Kosovo and believes that it can be a precedent for the settling of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
"If the international community recognizes Kosovo's independence and does not recognize the independence of the Nagorno-Karabakh, that will prove that the international community applies double standards," Sarkisian said to Reuters. "But that does not mean at all that the day after self-determination of Kosovo Armenia will recognize the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh," he said.
According to Mirzazade, the occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh by Armenia is confirmed in enough documents by international organizations and the world confirms the occupation of the Azerbaijani territory. From this standpoint it is illogical to draw a parallel between Kosovo and Nagorno-Karabakh problems.
"It is still unknown whether Kosovo will be recognized as an independent sate," Mirzazade said.