Azeri parliament discusses Karabakh issue

Azerbaijan's president has addressed parliament on proposals by international mediators to settle the conflict over the predominantly Armenian enclave of Ngorno-Karabakh.

President Haidar Aliyev said he did not consider any of the proposals acceptable to Azerbaijan, but Azeris had to cooperate in efforts to find a solution.

Mr Alivev's comments came two days after the Azerbaijani official press published a series of peace options put forward by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which is sponsoring the peace process.

The publication of the proposals caused an outcry, with the opposition describing them as a betrayal of national interests.

Next week Mr Aliyev and the Armenian president, Robert Kocharian will meet in Paris at the invitation of France to discuss the peace process.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service