AZE.US
Former Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Tofiq Zulfugarov has responded to Armenian politician Aram Sargsyan’s account of a conversation that allegedly took place between them more than 20 years ago.
Sargsyan, a former Armenian lawmaker and adviser to President Robert Kocharyan, said he participated in meetings between Azerbaijani and Armenian representatives from 2001 to 2007. Zulfugarov coordinated the Azerbaijani delegation for a period, while Sargsyan headed the Armenian side.
According to Sargsyan, the two met for coffee after one round of talks. He said he asked Zulfugarov why he and Azerbaijani presidential foreign policy adviser Vafa Guluzade had resigned in 1999.
Sargsyan claims Zulfugarov told him that, had the resignations not occurred, the deadly attack on Armenia’s parliament in October 1999 could have been repeated in Baku.
The assertion comes from Sargsyan’s account of the alleged conversation, not from Zulfugarov’s latest remarks.
Zulfugarov Does Not Confirm Sargsyan’s Account
In an interview with Globalinfo.az, Zulfugarov did not confirm that he made such a statement during their alleged meeting.
However, he also stopped short of issuing a categorical denial, saying he did not understand the basis for Sargsyan’s remarks.
“This part of the statement remains in question,” Zulfugarov said.
The former foreign minister noted that different theories about the events of that period continue to circulate in both Azerbaijan and Armenia. He added that he had previously spoken publicly about developments inside Azerbaijan at the time.
Theory of Conflict Management
Zulfugarov argued that the unresolved Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict allowed outside powers to exert pressure on both Baku and Yerevan.
He described provocations, assassination plots and terrorist attacks as possible elements of “conflict management” – a policy in which continued confrontation is used as an instrument of regional influence.
Discussing the 1999 attack on Armenia’s parliament, Zulfugarov focused on Sargsyan’s own interpretation of the incident. He said Sargsyan appeared to suspect Western intelligence services rather than Russia.
Sargsyan had argued that the attack was not in Moscow’s interests because Prime Minister Vazgen Sargsyan and parliamentary speaker Karen Demirchyan, both killed in the assault, maintained strong relations with Russia and China. No evidence supporting that theory was presented in the published remarks.
What Zulfugarov Said About the Resignations
Zulfugarov said three Azerbaijani officials resigned during that period and suggested that their subsequent careers and the broader political outcome should be considered when examining the episode.
He recalled that President Heydar Aliyev later invited Guluzade to consider returning to government service. Eldar Namazov went on to lead a television channel, while Zulfugarov was subsequently appointed ambassador.
Zulfugarov argued that the resignations ultimately strengthened Azerbaijan’s position based on the principle of territorial integrity.
Goble Plan Discussed After Zulfugarov’s Departure
Asked about proposals for a territorial exchange and the so-called Paul Goble Plan, Zulfugarov said those discussions took place after his resignation, including during Vilayat Guliyev’s tenure as foreign minister.
He said Azerbaijan’s parliament later held public hearings on the issue and published reports and transcripts from those discussions. Zulfugarov said he did not participate in the hearings.
AZE.US