OSCE KARABAKH MEDIATORS MEET AZERI PUBLIC

ANS radio, Baku
16 Jul 04

The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen, Yuriy Merzlyakov (Russia), Henry
Jacolin (France) and Steven Mann (USA), have met representatives of
the Azerbaijani public at the US embassy in Baku. The director of the
Institute for Peace and Democracy, Leyla Yunus, told ANS that leaders
of political parties, ambassadors, human rights activists and other
representatives of the public attended the meeting. The OSCE Minsk
Group co-chairmen met the Azerbaijani public openly for the first time
since the group’s establishment.

Talking about the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict, the co-chairmen said
that the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers were currently
conducting serious talks. They think that a peaceful solution to the
conflict will be impossible if the two sides do not compromise with
each other. The director of the Institute for Peace and Democracy,
Leyla Yunus, said that the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen told the
meeting that it would be wrong to leave the resolution of the conflict
for the future generation. The sides should try to resolve the
conflict. The co-chairmen think that the South Caucasus countries
wishing to enter the European Union should speedily resolve conflicts
among themselves. Otherwise, they cannot be admitted to the European
Union.