OSCE CHAIR OPTIMISTIC ABOUT SOLUTION TO NAGORNYY KARABAKH
STA news agency, Ljubljana
6 Sep 05
Yerevan, 6 September: There is a window of opportunity for Nagornyy
Karabakh, so it would be good if talks continue with a view to a
solution “in the not so distant future”, OSCE chairman Dimitrij Rupel
said as he came out of a meeting with the leader of unrecognized
Nagornyy Karabakh Arkadiy Gukasyan in Yerevan late on Monday
[5 September].
Slovene Foreign Minister Rupel, who began a two-day tour of Azerbaijan
and Armenia to discuss Nagornyy Karabakh on Monday, considers
it feasible for a solution to take into account both territorial
integrity of a country and self-determination of the nations.
“I can see no contradiction here,” said Rupel, who did not rule out
the possibility of finding a solution this year. Yet this would take
“a lot of good will”, especially since Azerbaijan is gearing up for
a general election, he added.
Asked whether Nagornyy Karabakh could be included in the talks, Rupel
said “there is a solid format for debates”. He referred to the Minsk
Group, which is a mediator between the sides in dispute, as well as
talks between the presidents and FMs of Azerbaijan and Armenia.
“Personally, I’m willing to talk to everyone in order to achieve some
result,” Rupel told the press last evening.
In a separate statement to the press, Gukasyan urged for a format
of talks involving all three sides, namely Armenia, Azerbaijan and
Nagornyy Karabakh. “As far as I know, the OSCE wishes the same,
but the situation is deadlocked because of Azerbaijan’s opposition.”
Regardless of what solution comes out of the negotiating process,
the political leader of the unrecognized enclave located in the
southwest of Azerbaijan, stressed that the security of Nagornyy
Karabakh, mainly populated by ethnic Armenians, was the first priority.
After visiting Azerbaijan yesterday, Rupel is continuing his visit in
Armenia on Tuesday, when he is scheduled to meet Armenian President
Robert Kocharyan, FM Vardan Oskanyan, PM Andranik Markaryan and
representatives of NGOs.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress