OSCE CHAIRMAN VISITING YEREVAN

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Sept 7 2005

Baku, September 6, AssA-Irada — OSCE chairman-in-office, Slovenian
foreign minister Dimitrij Rupel arrived in Yerevan, Armenia from
Baku on Tuesday. Rupel will meet with Armenian President Robert
Kocharian, foreign minister Vardan Oskanian and prime minister
Andranik Margarian as well as NGO and opposition representatives,
according to Armenian press reports. The situation on the frontline,
the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Upper Garabagh, the current
situation in Armenia and changes to be made to the country’s
Constitution will be discussed. Head of the Armenian community of
Upper Garabagh Arkadi Gukasian arrived in Yerevan on Monday to discuss
with Rupel the Garabagh conflict and the future of Armenians in Upper
Garabagh. He also plans to convey Garabagh Armenians’ ‘concerns over
the escalating military mood in Azerbaijan’ to the OSCE chairman,
the reports said. Rupel promised during his visit to Baku that he
will raise the issue of Kocharian’s participation in the recent event
dedicated to the so-called ‘independence day’ of the Upper Garabagh
separatist regime in a meeting with the Armenian President.*