KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT MEETS US NATIONAL INTERESTS, AMERICAN MEDIATOR
STATED

26.07.2004 14:07

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
settlement by means of negotiations within the frames of the OSCE Minsk
Group (MG) conforms to the US national interests, MG US co-chair Steven Mann
told Regnum IA. In his words, US pursues a long-term policy in references to
this region. US has no interest in events that can threaten stability in the
region as it assists energy projects, one of them being Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan
oil pipeline, which is important for the whole region, the diplomat said.
When replying to the question “whether the US will support Azerbaijan of the
latter decides to restore its territorial integrity”, Mr. Mann stated that
the US position remains unchangeable – the conflict should be resolved
peacefully. At that he called the parties “to sense and compromise”. “Only
by making concessions it is possible to find a solution admissible for the
conflicting parties. This is the opinion of the co-chairs. Only this way we
can achieve long-term peace in the region. The conflicting parties chose the
OSCE to resolve this problem and we are trying to settle the conflict
peacefully and will support the decisions taken by the parts”, the American
diplomat stated. As for the new proposes, they always exist, he said.
However everything depends on the attitude of the parties and readiness to
accept them, he noted adding that the co-chairs are to continue
consultations with the parties within next few weeks.