18:21, 15 December 2003

Azerbaijan opposition condemns meeting of Azerbaijan and Armenian presidents

The reaction of the Azerbaijan opposition press to the meeting of Armenian and Azerbaijan Presidents Robert Kocharian and Ilkham Aliyev in Geneva has been extremely negative.

The Azadlyg newspaper believes this meeting may become the first step toward the signing of the peace treaty that will be defeatist for Azerbaijan. The stand of the Yeni Musavat newspaper is even more critical. The article titled "Process of Surrendering Karabakh Started" reads that western countries supported Ilkham Aliyev's election as President so that Azerbaijan would make concessions in the Karabakh conflict settlement. The author of the article holds the western countries use Ilkham Aliyev's weakness to settle the Karabakh problem not in the interests of Azerbaijan. Yeni Musavat expresses regret that the opposition in Azerbaijan is splintered today and will not be able to stand against the signing of the defeatist peace treaty.

Source: REGNUM News Agency