YEREVAN, JUNE 29, ARMENPRESS. The issue of Nagorno Karabakh’s (Artsakh) autonomy inside Azerbaijan has never been and will never be discussed during the negotiations on Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian told during the joint press conference with his German counterpart, referring to the remark that Azerbaijani President Aliyev announced after the St. Petersburg meeting that he supports the idea of Artsakh’s autonomy within Azerbaijan as in case of Nakhichevan and that allegedly they discussed that issue in St. Petersburg.

“After each meeting with the Azerbaijani president the Co-chairs ask the same question: will it be possible that the agreements reached during the talks be respected? I always answerer that it is necessary to wait until Aliyev returns to Baku and we will make conclusions after Aliyev’s false versions. Today Azerbaijan does what one of the Co-chair countries stated: it tries to pull the rope to its side and form a public opinion that allegedly those agreements are in favor of them”, Nalbandian said, stating that similar approaches can never foster the negotiation process.

Reminding that the once Armenian populated Nakhichevan has now no Armenian population and the centuries-old culture is demolished, Edward Nalbandian noted that Aliyev brings it as an example for the future of Nagorno Karabakh. “This is one of the best examples why it can never be a subject for negotiations. The Co-chair countries have always stated on the presidential level that the final status of Nagorno Karabakh must be decided by the right to self-determination of the people, which will be internationally legally binding. This is what Armenia says, this is what the Co-chair countries say”, Armenian Foreign Minister concluded.

German Foreign Minister and OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Frank-Walter Steinmeier  paid a visit to Armenia on June 29-30 at the invitation of Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian. The German Foreign Minister will be received by Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan.

Armenian and German FMs delivered a joint press conference on June 29 after negotiations.