AGO DEFENDS ARMENIA’S STANDPOINT

Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
01 July 05

The head of the AGO monitoring group Roland Wegener is hopeful that
Azerbaijan will also commit to the settlement of the conflict. The
head of the AGO monitoring group of the EC Committee of Ministers,
German Roland Wegener was in Armenia on an official visit. In the
evening of June 28 he gave a press confere nce. Summing up his visit
in the press conference together with the foreign minister of Armenia,
he evaluated his visit as effective. Although the maintopic of the
meetings of the AGO group was the issue of constitutional reforms in
Armenia, the German diplomat said the Karabakh issue was also touched
upon. Minister Oskanian had briefed the ambassadors on the current
process of resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, the developments
and prospects. The head of the European delegation stated they were
informed about the issue in detail because they had shown by their
activities that they are confidential. Anyway, as distinct from the
AGO delegation, it again remained a secret for the Armenian people
what definite issues had been discussed by the foreign ministers in
Paris, because declassification would affect the talks. Instead the
minister stated once again that nevertheless something was discussed,
and added, `We did not come to a final conclusion but we came quite
close to it. I think several small questions are left, the solution to
which finally can be reached. Allthe proposals are on the table and
under consideration by the ministers and the president. At the moment
when the final agreement is achieved, it will not be easy to put it
down on paper.’ But it looks like the situation is far from the moment
of putting it down on paper, and neither do the parties seem to have
come to an agreement; the latest meeting in Paris simply brought them
closer to some X point. `I think several small questions are left, the
solution to which finally can be reached. This being successful, we
may say that one of the hindrances is overcome and we can already
proceed to other problems,’ said the foreign minister. In his turn the
German diplomat mentioned that they endorse the commitment of the
president, the government and the foreign minister of Armenia to
resolution. Roland Veneger said that they will also visit Azerbaijan
where election will be held in autumn which, according to him, will
not impact the country’s effort for resolution. As to good news,
V. Oskanian informed that the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs will arrive
in the region in July but will not bring along any new proposals. One
of the questions of the journalists referred to the recent statements
of the Azerbaijani side. Namely the Azerbaijani political scientist
Salizadeh stated, `In order to resolve the Karabakh issue, Azerbaijan
needs strong army, but even with a strong and effective army it is
necessary to take the position of peace process.’ Salizadeh’s
statement was followed by Ilham Aliev’s counterargument that for
Azerbaijan negotiating with the Armenian side is the same as making a
compromise. And at the point whenthe negotiations are stopped,
military force is used. Vardan Oskanian mentioned that he was not
aware of Aliev’s statement but if Aliev made one, it is pointless to
comment on this kind of statements.

AA.
01-07-2005