FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS WITH OSCE CHAIRMAN-IN-OFFICE

AzerTag
[April 02, 2005, 20:33:26]

Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov has met with visiting
OSCE Chairman-In-Office, Foreign Minister of Slovenia Dimitrij
Rupel. Dwelling on the London meeting between Foreign Ministers of
Azerbaijan and Armenia expected on April 15 in the presence of the
OSCE Minsk group co-Chairs, the Minister reaffirmed Azerbaijan’s
adherence of to peaceful settlement of the conflict, and added that
his country is implementing serious reforms targeted to integration
into the Euroatlantic structures.

OSCE Chairman-In-Office Dimitrij Rupel for his part stressed the
importance of the continuation of the dialogue between the parties
saying his organization is doing its best for the conflict to be
solved in a peace way.

Touching upon the discharge of the 114 prisoners including those who
organized the 2003 October unrest, Mr. Rupel has valued this as a
serious step towards political dialogue on the threshold of the
upcoming parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan.

***

Later, the OSCE Chairman-In-Office Dimitrij Rupel has met with Head of
the Azerbaijni community of Nagorno-Karabakh Nizami Bahmanov. The
latter expressed his concern and disappointment on the fact the
conflict had not yet been solved since the ceasefire regime was
established in 1994. Noting that the Armenian’ s recent frequent
ceasefire breaking has a negative impact on the peace process, Nizami
Bahmanov called on the OSCE to intensify its activities towards the
conflict’s resolution.

***

Afterwards, Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov and OSCE
Chairman-In-Office, Foreign Minister of Slovenia Dimitrij Rupel have
given a press conference. They updated the journalists on the content
of the meeting and answered their questions.