Baku Today, Azerbaijan
April 7 2004

US changing Minsk group spokesman

Baku Today 07/04/2004 12:43

US government will be replacing the US chairman to the OSCE’s Minsk
group, said US Ambassador in Azerbaijan Reno Harnish at a meeting
with Azeri defense minister Safar Abiyev yesterday.
US State Secretary’s senior adviser for the Caspian basin issues
Steven Mann will take over the chairman’s post. Mann will succeed
Rudolph Perini who has been the third US chairman of the Minsk group.

Linn Pasko and Kerry Kavano have been the preceding chairmen of the
group.

OSCE’s Minsk group has been functioning to facilitate a peaceful
solution to the Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Three nations are currently presiding over the group to coordinate
the mediation efforts. Alongside with the United States Russia and
France are the chairmen of the group.

The three nations have been operating in joint chairmanship since
February 11, 1997.