Baku conference calls for peace between Azerbaijan, Armenia

The participants in the conference on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in Baku have urged a peaceful settlement of the conflict, saying that both Armenians and Azerbaijanis are tired of confrontation, Turan news agency reported .


The conference "Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh: major obstacles and prospects for settlement. Views from Armenia and Azerbaijan" was held in Baku on 8 November. Dissident Armenian activists Vahe Avetyan and Vahan Martirosyan attended the conference.


Avetyan and Martirosyan arrived in Baku on 7 November and were allowed to go to the city although Armenians usually are not welcomed in Azerbaijan due to the ongoing conflict between Baku and Yerevan over the Azeri breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh.


The conference participants adopted an address to the presidents and peoples of Armenia and Azerbaijan, Turan said.


"A peaceful settlement of the conflict will contribute to economic growth in Azerbaijan and Armenia which in turn will give impetus to strengthening peace between the [two] nations," the address said.


"Armenians and Azerbaijanis are tired of this tension. We should stop thinking that someone will come and help us," it added.


It said that an opinion that Armenians and Azerbaijanis cannot co-exist "should be rejected".


The address went on to say that Armenia should withdraw from Azerbaijani lands, refugees should return to their native lands and the idea of granting Nagorno-Karabakh a high autonomy within Azerbaijan should be considered.

www.ann.az