AZERBAIJAN HOLDS OUT POLITICAL STATUS FOR KARABAKH.

Interviewed by the BBC while in London, Azerbaijani president Heydar Aliyev stated that he did not hope for a quick political settlement of the Karabakh conflict but that he would persist in seeking one and hoping for "some understanding" from Armenia. He named the conditions as return of "occupied territories" (i.e. outside Karabakh) to Azerbaijan, return of Azerbaijani refugees to their homes, agreement on access between Karabakh and Armenia (i.e. on the Lachin corridor), and an upgraded political status for Karabakh within Azerbaijan. Aliyev called for addressing the latter issue after agreement has been reached on the other issues. (18) Clarifying the sequence, Azerbaijan’s parliament chairman Rasul Guliev stated that Azerbaijan will discuss Karabakh’s political status after Karabakh/Armenian troops have withdrawn from occupied areas. (19) Azerbaijan’s foreign minister Hasan Hasanov in turn promised that Karabakh’s autonomous status would also be guaranteed in Azerbaijan’s constitution. But Karabakh and Armenia call for discussing the political status first and the troop withdrawal later. (20)

1. Reuter, UPI, Itar-Tass, November 30

2. Interfax, November 29

3. Reuter, November 29

4. Trud, November 24

5. Itar-Tass, Interfax, November 29

6. Interfax, November 29

7. Reuter, November 29

8. Itar-Tass, November 29; Reuter, November 24

9. Russian agencies and TV, November 27 and 28

10. Interfax, November 29-30

11. Interfax, November 29

12. Itar-Tass and Interfax, November 29

13. BNS and Western agencies, November 29

14. Interfax and Itar-Tass, November 28 and 29; Reuter, November 30

15. Interfax, November 28

16. Flux, November 27

17. Interfax, November 28 and 29

18. Snark News Agency, November 27; Noyan Tapan, November 29

19. Radio Baku, November 28

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