French mediator denies Karabakh talks deadlocked – Azeri agency
Turan news agency
27 May 05
BAKU
“I do not agree that negotiations on the Karabakh settlement have
reached deadlock,” the French co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group,
Bernard Fassier, told today’s press conference in Baku.
Fassier noted that before the Warsaw meeting between the presidents of
the two countries [Azerbaijan and Armenia on 15 May], the co-chairmen
had contacted the foreign ministers once a week or once in 10
days. The co-chairmen are scheduled to meet [Armenian] Foreign
Minister Vardan Oskanyan in early June, and the foreign ministers will
meet each other in mid-June. The co-chairmen will visit the region
again at the end of the month, Fassier said. He said that “a big step
forward” was made at the Warsaw meeting.
“We have moved from discussions to negotiations of the principles of
the settlement. There is some progress on some parameters. Efforts are
now concentrated on two parameters: withdrawal of Armenian troops from
the territories around Nagornyy Karabakh and the future status of this
region,” Fassier said.
Commenting on yesterday’s meeting with Defence Minister Safar Abiyev,
Fassier noted that he did not say anything new there. “Azerbaijan’s
territorial integrity has been recognized by many, and nobody has
recognized Nagornyy Karabakh yet,” Fassier said.
When asked what was behind harsh statements by the two countries’
presidents, Fassier noted that they were meant for “internal
consumption”.
The launch of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline “will accelerate”
the settlement of the conflict, Fassier said. Both sides understand
that time has come to reach a peace agreement, the French co-chairman
concluded.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress