Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Jan 27 2005
OSCE MG Russian co-chair says Garabagh conflict won’t be settled this
year
Yuri Merzlyakov, Russian co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group in charge
of the mediating mission on the Upper Garabagh conflict, told
Armenian Regnum news agency that the conflict will not be resolved
this year and only certain progress will be achieved in this area.
Commenting on the recent PACE resolution, Merzlyakov said that he
recognizes Upper Garabagh as a party to the conflict.
With regard to the provision of the resolution calling on the OSCE
Minsk Group to take certain steps at resolving the conflict
peacefully, he said that `they call us for active steps, but we are
not responsible for resolving the conflict instead of the conflicting
sides’.
Another provision of the PACE resolution says that if the OSCE
MG-mediated talks turn out unsuccessful, Azerbaijan and Armenia may
take the matter to the International Court of Justice, Merzlyakov
said. However, the conflicting sides tend not to do so as they are
aware that the issue may be interpreted differently by the court.
Therefore, the conflict should be resolved not through legal but
political means, he added.*
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress