GARABAGH MEDIATOR URGES SIDES TO REFRAIN FROM HOSTILITIES

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
April 4 2006

Baku, April 3, AssA-Irada
A mediator brokering settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Upper
(Nagorno) Garabagh conflict has called on all sides interested in
settling the long-standing dispute to refrain from military action,
a statement that followed Azerbaijan’s threats to resort to the use
of force.

“An attempt to resolve the conflict through military action could bring
about a catastrophe. The Azeri side’s statements causing escalation
of tensions are of no benefit,” said the Russian co-chair of the OSCE
Minsk Group, Yuri Merzlyakov.

The mediator emphasized that peace should be reached soon, expressing a
hope that the long-standing dispute will be finally resolved this year.

“2006 has just started and hopes remain for finding a solution by
the year-end.”

Merzlyakov said the MG co-chairs would soon hold consultations on
arranging for the next meeting of the Azeri and Armenian foreign
ministers.

“The problem is that the schedules [of the ministers] do not overlap,
which is why we are having difficulty in setting a venue and timeframe
for the meeting. On April 7, the Armenian minister Vardan Oskanian
will be in Moscow, while his Azeri counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov
in Washington.”

The co-chair said the mediators may pay their next visit to the
region in May, after which the current status of the peace process
and further steps could be tabled.

“After the recent discussions in Istanbul and Washington, meetings
are underway and an agreement may be reached now for the next round
of talks between two countries’ ministers.”

Merzlyakov said it is premature to speak of another meeting between
Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Robert Kocharian, as this requires making
comprehensive preparations first.

The parties failed to agree upon the issues of principle during the
negotiations held by the two leaders in France in February, which
was followed by mutual threats.