OSCE MG DOES NOT OBJECT AGAINST KARABAKH PARTICIPATION IN TALKS

PanARMENIAN.Net
30.03.2006 20:45 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The issue of participation of Nagorno Karabakh in the
talks over settlement of the Karabakh conflict is in the competence
of the parties to conflict themselves, OSCE MG US Co-Chair Steven
Mann stated during a video conference, organized by the US Embassy in
Armenia March 29. In his words, the matter should be considered from
another point of view: will NK participation in the talks provide for
progress or not. “The approach of the OSCE MG co-chairs is as follows:
if the parties are for involving NK in the talks, we will support this
option,” Mann said. At that the US diplomat remarked he is not aware of
NK President Arkady Ghukasyan’s statement, in which the Karabakh leader
stated there is a sole opportunity for NK to join the talks, i.e.
Armenia has to give up talks with Azerbaijan.

“However, I do not think anyone is interested in failure of the talks,
as the 2006 is a promising year for solving the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict. I do not want the parties to miss this opportunity,” the
US diplomat said.

Besides, Mann said, “the Kosovo model cannot be a precedent for other
conflict regions.” In his words, each conflict is individual in its
own way, “has its roots and history and we should respect it.” “If we
try to equate the NK conflict to another one, we will thus attain no
good,” Mr. Mann said, adding the parties “have undoubtedly registered
certain progress” in the NK settlement. “Presidents of Armenia and
Azerbaijan deserve respect for their latest steps,” the mediator
remarked, reports IA Regnum.