Sharmazanov: It is more likely that Kura River changes its course and falls into Black Sea than Karabakh becomes part of Azerbaijan with any status

It is more likely that Kura River changes its course and falls into Black Sea than Karabakh becomes part of Azerbaijan with any status, Deputy Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Eduard Sharmazanov told ArmInfo's correspondent responding to his Azerbaijani counterpart Ziyafat Asgarov's statement that Karabakh conflict may be settled exclusively based on territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. 

"Karabakh conflict should be settled based on the three Helsinki principles (people's right to self- determination, territorial integrity of the state and non-use of force) on which the international co-chairs and the Armenian side insist. Azerbaijan is not the one to determine the status of Nagorno-Karabakh, the international community should do that considering and based on the will of Artsakh' people, and there can be no second opinion on this issue. By the way, not only the Armenian side, but also Minsk Co-Chairs and representatives of the co-chair countries state this", Sharmazanov stated. 

To note, Ziyafat Asgarov, the first vice-speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament, told APA on Friday that Azerbaijan advocates phased settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within its territorial integrity and will never allow a second Armenian state to be established on its territory. Azerbaijan stands ready to grant Nagorno-Karabakh the highest autonomous status within its territorial integrity, the vice- speaker added.