US ENVOY OPTIMISTIC OVER GARABAGH MEDIATORS’ MEETING

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
March 9 2006

Baku, March 7, AssA-Irada
The US ambassador to Azerbaijan Reno Harnish has said he is optimistic
over the meeting of the OSCE mediators brokering settlement to the
Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh held in
Washington Monday and Tuesday.

The talks attended by the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group Yuri
Merzlyakov of Russia, Bernard Fassier of France and Steven Mann of the
United States as well as the OSCE chairman’s special envoy Andzhei
Kaspshik come after the fruitless discussions between Presidents
Ilham Aliyev and Robert Kocharian in the French town of Rambouillet
in February.

“I would like to reiterate that the co-chair representing the United
States, as well as the other two mediators are confident that these
talks will yield more positive results, as extensive work has been
under way for the last two years to ensure this. 2006 is a crucial
year that should see a decision made,” the ambassador said, adding
that future elections in both countries necessitate this as well.

Harnish also said that the American co-chair Steven Mann is due to
arrive in Azerbaijan on Sunday.