OSCE MISSION DOES NOT KNOW WHOM IT WILL MEET, AND WHAT ESTIMATION WILL
IT GIVE TO SITUATION IN “THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES”
YEREVAN, JANUARY 29. ARMINFO. To establish facts of creation of
Armenian settlement in the occupied Azerbaijani territories round
Nagorny Karabakh, the OSCE Mission intends to ascertain whether there
are people in the mentioned territories, where are they from, when and
in what connection, on their initiative or not. Russian Cochairman of
th OSCE Minsk Group Yuri Merzlyakov informed journalists in Yerevan on
behalf of the cochairmen of the OSCE MG.
According to him, the routes of the visit have been worked out, and
Sunday morning members of the delegation will leave for Stepanakert,
and from there within a week they will visit all the districts every
day. Commenting on the aforementioned terminology, in particular,
answering the question on the status of the territories was formulated
as “occupied” Merzlyakov mentioned it’s a translation from English. At
the same time he mentioned he does not know other Russian word.
Answering the question on how will be the estimation of the mission in
the case if Armenians, former citizens of Azerbaijan, were found, who
left their residences forcedly, Merzlyakov mentioned he is not a
supporter to forecast, “whom we shall meet there, and what the
estimation will be”. In this connection he also reminded that the
cochairmen are not a member of the group and the issue concerns the
members of the mission, and the cochairmen lead them. As regards the
visit to the districts of Aghdam and Fizuli, occupied by Karabakh
forces, Merzlyakov said that the mission has planned to visit these
districts, and the information on that the Azerbaijani side does not
insist on their visit, was not true. “Later Azerbaijani party made a
statement, I think, it was Deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan
Mr. Araz Azimov, saying that “we had no materials concerning these two
districts, now we possess them and we shall hand over it to the leader
of the group”. There were such plans, that’s why we did not change our
plans – 7 districts, Merzlyakov said.
Answering the question on whether the mission’s members plan to visit
also the North Karabakh, Merzlyakov noted that, in his opinion, it is
an absolutely separate question. He also informed that during the
meetings in Baku the members of OSCE delegation were given documents
and photos. Merzlyakov reminded that this co-chairs’ visit to the
region is not usual and regular. The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs are in
the region not to discuss the issues on settlement of Nagorny Karabakh
conflict. He refused to comment on the PACE resolution adopted
recently. Merzlyakov introduced journalists with new French
co-chairman of OSCE MG Bernar Fassier and the Head of OSCE mission
Emily Haber, the Director of OSCE Department of Foreign Ministry of
Federal Republic of Germany.