A Baku official has dismissed Serzh Sargsyan's remarks that recognition of Karabakh's independence is the only peaceful way to settle the conflict.
"The Armenian side understands full well that the international community has recognized the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan unconditionally. UN Security Council resolutions, documents adopted by the UN General Assembly, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and other international organizations are unequivocal on the issue," Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesman Elkhan Polukhov told APA news agency.
He said that Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s statement that "a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict lies in the recognition of its independence by the international community" had been made for domestic consumption.
"Unfortunately, the Armenian leadership make provocative statements instead of preparing the domestic audience for peace and the determination of Nagorno-Karabakh's status as part of Azerbaijani territory with the co-existence of the Azerbaijani and Armenian communities," Polukhov said.
In a speech to mark the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh republic's independence day today, the Armenian president described Karabakh's independence as one of the "most brilliant pages in modern Armenian history". He said that a peaceful resolution of the issue could have "only one outcome – the international recognition of Karabakh's independence".
Karabakh's independence has not been recognized by any country, not even Armenia.
News.Az