Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe (OSCE)

March 10 2006

OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs urge Armenia and Azerbaijan to prepare
their respective publics “for peace, not for war”

/noticias.info/ WASHINGTON, D.C., 9 March 2006 – The three Co-Chairs
of the OSCE Minsk Group, which deals with the conflict over
Nagorno-Karabakh, have issued a statement regretting the lack of
forward movement in the recent negotiations and calling upon Armenia
and Azerbaijan to “work vigorously” to achieve a result in 2006.
Their statement reads:

“The Co-Chairs of the OSCE’s Minsk Group, Ambassadors Yuri Merzlyakov
of Russia, Steven Mann of the United States, and Bernard Fassier of
France, joined by Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, the Personal
Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, met in Washington on 7
and 8 March to discuss the latest developments regarding the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and to assess the future direction of
mediation efforts.

The Co-Chairs reviewed the discussions that took place in Rambouillet
on 10 and 11 February and 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. Their next
meeting is planned for 20 March in Istanbul.”

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress