Baku Today, Azerbaijan
March 11 2006

OSCE MG co-chairs to hold next meeting in Istanbul

11/03/2006 08:50

The Co-Chairs will hold next meeting in Istanbul on 20 March, says
statement issued by three Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group after a
meeting in Washington on 7 and 8 March to discuss the latest
developments regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The mediators expressed again their gratitude to the President of the
French Republic for making that meeting between President Robert
Kocharian and President Ilham Aliyev possible.

Assessing the current state of affairs in the region, the Co-Chairs
reaffirmed their belief that a great deal of progress has been
achieved in the past year and a half. They regret that the process
has not moved forward in recent weeks though, despite ample
opportunity to do so.

They urged both parties to build on the basic principles for a future
settlement that have already been developed in order to achieve an
agreement in 2006. Referring to their joint statement at the OSCE
Permanent Council on 2 March, the Co-Chairs continue to believe that
objective conditions make 2006 a highly favourable year for
substantial progress, and they call upon the Governments of Armenia
and Azerbaijan to work vigorously to achieve this result. The
Co-Chairs further call upon the Government of each country to take
steps with their publics to prepare them for peace, and not for war.

The Co-Chairs will decide on their next trip to the region after
further assessment of the readiness of the parties.