The peace talks over settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict should continue until all resources are used up, Azeri Deputy FM Araz Azimov stated yesterday. «Conflict settlement opportunities are still available,» he said, noting the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs plan to have a number of meetings before visiting the South Caucasus. After their visit to the region they are scheduled to have a meeting with Azeri and Armenian FMs in Ljubljana, where the OSCE FMs will convene in early December. He also noted that no Mammadyarov-Oskanian meeting is planned in Ljubljana yet. «A meeting of that kind may only be held in a special case,» he said. As of the date of the following meeting of the Azeri and Armenian Presidents, the Azeri Deputy FM said, «the date of a new meeting is not known.»
When commenting on official Baku attitude towards the reports and proposals of the International Crisis Group (ICG), Azimov said organizations like the ICG were unofficial ones. «ICG recommendations and proposals are an outcome of personal deliberations of its representatives,» the diplomat said, noting the proposals will not be considered by Azerbaijan at the official level. At the same time A. Azimov remarked, «the document, made public by the ICG, contains many mistakes and shortcomings owing to insufficient information and expert incompetence.» «No one can point out the quantity of Azerbaijan’s budget assignments for military needs,» the Deputy FM also said. Official Baku proceeds from its own resources when increasing defense spending. «The Government of Azerbaijan makes efforts to develop all spheres of state activities, including the strengthening of the military power,» Azimov underscored. «Army enhancement is a essential part of state development. Servicemen are the same citizens of Azerbaijan and their salaries should be increased as well,» A. Azimov concluded.
