Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev today said Baku will not sign any peace deal with Yerevan that includes any mention of the “Armenian minority in Nagorno Karabakh".

Aliyev said as much during a meeting with an European Union delegation headed by the European Union Special Envoy for Eastern Partnership Dirk Schuebel.

"They (ed. Armenia) want to include issues related to the Armenian minority in Azerbaijan in the peace agreement. It will not happen. It is impossible. We will not agree to it," said Aliyev according to the Azerbaijani APA agency.

Aliyev is cited as saying Baku needs a clear position of the Armenian government, on the matter.

"I recently said that if they want peace, then we will also want peace. If they don't want peace, that's their choice. We did not have peace for thirty years, and Armenia should not forget how it ended," Aliyev said.

He described recent Armenian government statements as “manipulative”, and that if Armenia wants peace, it should abandon its obvious rhetoric.

"Recently, Armenian officials compared Azerbaijan with the Islamic State and Al Qaeda. In my opinion, this is very dangerous rhetoric. <...> But when Mr. Pashinyan utters those words, he should know that we are listening. He should think about our reaction," Aliyev said.

Aliyev said Baku is ready to talk with Karabakh Armenians about their rights and security, but will not engage with government authorities.

"If they (ed. Armenia) want to talk about the rights and security of Armenians in Karabakh, it will not work. We are ready to talk about it with the Armenians who live in Karabakh. <...> We are ready to talk with people who live in Karabakh and want to live there. We are ready for it. By the way, that process has already started," Aliyev said. He emphasized that negotiations could proceed more dynamically without outside interference.

Aliyev also ridiculed recently appointed Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan as “Moscow’s man sent to Karabakh who’s stolen billions from the Russian people".

Photo: Azerbaijani Presidential Press Service