ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
November 1, 2004 Monday

Nagorno-Karabakh settlement must be in OSCE framework

By Vitaly Kuchkin

MOSCOW

The suggestion to debate the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement at the session
of the United Nations General Assembly parallel with the discussion in
the OSCE framework “can hardly have a beneficial effect on the
negotiating process”, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated on Monday.
The ministry commented on Russia’s stand regarding the suggestion to
put on the agenda of the session the clause on “the situation in the
occupied territories of Azerbaijan”.

“Russia, just as other co-chairmen of the MInsk group of the OSCE,
abstained from the voting”, the ministry pointed out. “The results of
the voting showed that most members of the world community share this
stand”. “Russia is interested in the early settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh problem and promotes this in every way, be it in the
bilateral respect or as the co-chairman of the Minsk group of the
OSCE”, the ministry noted. “The group’s format permits it to deal with
any problems related to the conflict and to ensuring peace”, the
ministry believes. “Besides, the recent meeting of the presidents of
Azerbaijan and Armenia opened prospects for the resumption of the talks
on the quest of the mutually-acceptable solution”.