New French OSCE Minsk Group co-chair appointed

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Dec 22 2004

Bernard Fassier has been appointed as the new French co-chair of the
OSCE Minsk Group. He is due to visit the region on January 25.

During the visit, a special mission of the OSCE, jointly with the
MG co-chairs, is expected to visit Upper Garabagh and other occupied
regions of Azerbaijan to look into the illegal settlement of Armenians
there.

Fassier worked as ambassador of France in Georgia in 1990s. Before
his new appointment, he acted as Deputy High Representative of the
European Union mission in Sarajevo.

Fassier attended the recent meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian
foreign ministers in Sofia, along with the OSCE MG co-chairs.
The previous French co-chair Henry Jacolin was expected to give up
the position this summer, but his term was later extended.*