Azerbaijan News Service
July 6 2005

AZERI MPs CALL RECENT OSCE PA RESOLUTION ON DAQLIQ QARABAQ GENERALY
ACCEPTABLE FOR AZERBAIJAN BUT WITH REMARKS
2005-07-06 10:44

Eldar Ibrahimov , member of the Azerbaijan Parliamentary delegation
to OSCE Parliamentary Assembly said in his interview with ANS TV that
recently adopted resolution on Daqliq Qarabaq conflict was agreeable
for Azerbaijan’s position. The document says numbers of Azerbaijani
citizens have become refugees and IDPs as a result of that conflict
however didn’t directly show who occupied the territories of
Azerbaijan. There is now a golden opportunity for a peaceful solution
of the Daqliq Qarabaq conflict, based on a win-win concept where both
Armenia and Azerbaijan come out better. Armenia and Azerbaijan must
intensify the negotiations on Nagorno Karabakh. Swedish MP Göran
Lennmarker, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Special Representative on the
Daqliq Qarabaq Conflict, today presented his report to Heads of
Delegations to the OSCE PA. The Report spells out his ideas on how to
promote a peaceful settlement of the Daqliq Qarabaq conflict within
the ongoing OSCE Minsk Peace-process.The conflict between the
Armenians and Azerbaijanis over the region of Daqliq Qarabaq broke
out more than a decade ago, leaving territories occupied and
resulting in displaced people living under miserable conditions on
both sides. Although a ceasefire was established in 1994, the
conflict remains unsolved. Mr. Lennmarker stresses that “the conflict
is not frozen. Several people are killed along the line-of-contact
every year”. He adds: “there is no alternative to a peaceful solution
– in fact there is an urgent need to solve the conflict in order to
end the personal, economic, and social suffering on both sides of
this conflict”. He suggests basing a solution on experiences from
Europe, where democracy and integration are fundamental components in
securing a lasting peace. Strong European and international
institutions stand ready to support Armenia and Azerbaijan. This is a
generous offer and must be seized.He also stresses the usefulness of
the work done by the Parliamentary Delegations of Armenia and
Azerbaijan: “Once a peace agreement has been finalized by the two
Governments, the parliamentary dimension becomes invaluable in
informing the public and in ensuring the implementation. It is of
utmost importance that networks of Members of Parliaments already
exist and stand ready to take on these tasks”. Mr. Lennmarker was
appointed in June 2002 and has since then visited Armenia and
Azerbaijan on numerous occasions, meeting with representatives of all
sections of society including refugees on both sides. He has also met
with international actors, including the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk
Group. At the close of their meeting in Washington D.C. from 1-5
July, more than 260 parliamentarians from 51 OSCE participating
States adopted the Washington Declaration focusing on the political,
economic and human rights aspects of the central theme of the
Session: “30 Years since Helsinki: Challenges Ahead”. In addition,
several other documents were adopted. On the final day of the
Washington Session the Assembly re-elected US Congressman Alcee L.
Hastings as its President for another one year term.