A JOINT WORKING GROUP ON KARABAKH FORMED AT THE PACE

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
Oct 18 2005

A working group on the Karabakh issue has been formed at the PACE.

The corresponding decision was rendered at the latest sitting of
the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly Subcommittee on Nagorno
Karabakh.

According to PanARMENIAN.Net, a member of the Azeri delegation at the
PACE Asim Mollazade stated the new working group had been formed on
the initiative of the Subcommittee Chair lord Russell Johnston. Both
Azerbaijan and Armenia are represented in the group. “It is a joint
working group. The group’s sitting was held at the PACE latest session,
and we arranged to conduct a number of meetings, discuss the program
of the Subcommittee activity”, noted Mollazade.

According to Mollazade, the Subcommittee headed by Russell Johnston
has been formed to implement a resolution on the Karabakh conflict
adopted by the PACE. “It is the Subcommittee’s principal goal. The
structure is to present its report and working plan at the PACE
January session, inform of the work done and planned for the future.

We are currently working over the plan of measures referring to the
PACE resolution implementation. Principal goal in the adoption of
the resolution is promotion of the conflict settlement. The Council
of Europe is eager to participate in the settlement of the Nagorno
Karabakh problem”.

The Azeri Parliamentarian noted substitution of the OSCE Minsk group
for the new working group was not subject for discussions. He stressed
the OSCE MG was the main format of mediation between the conflict
sides. “The Council of Europe is trying to settle the conflict in the
aspect of the values it defends. The resolution was adopted before
that, and the work being done is based on the document”. In his words,
the latest steps undertaken by the CE testify to the organization’s
wish to actively participate in the Karabakh conflict settlement. “The
Council of Europe cannot close eyes to the tragedy within Europe. Using
its authority the CE will render all – round assistance to the conflict
settlement in the international organizations as well. Naturally,
we’ll go on acting within the frames of the organization. I believe
it will have a positive influence on the conflict settlement”, stated
Asim Mollazade.