BERNARD FASSIER: WAR CANNOT BE A SOLUTION TO THE CONFLICT

ArmRadio.am
14.04.2006 13:05

“The OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are deeply confident that there is
no alternative to peace in the Karabakh issue,” French Co-Chair of
the OSCE Minsk Group Bernard Fassier declared yesterday at a news
conference in Yerevan.

He expressed concern over the fact that following the Ramboulliet
meeting of Armenian and Azeri Presidents there have been clashes and
even victims at the contact line.

“We should remind the parties that war can in no way be a solution
to the problem. War is the worst way for both countries, since it
will not resolve anything: despite the outcome of the war, the two
countries will find themselves at the former initial position,”
Bernard Fassier declared.

The mediator called on Armenia and Azerbaijan to build a joint future
without returning to what has been in the past and without centering
attention on who has been guilty in the past. He urged to follow the
example of France and Germany, which found the formula of peaceful
and mutually beneficial coexistence after long wars and confrontations.

Bernard Fassier refuted all the talks about changing the format of
the negotiations process on the settlement of the Karabakh conflict.

According to him, the OSCE Minsk Group format is a constant one.

“We are decisive to use every chance for the settlement of the
conflict. It is a new approach in the activity of the Co-Chairs,”
Ambassador Fassier declared.

According to him, the Co-Chairs tried to work out some agreement
based on fundamental principles in Ramboilliet. He considers
that consent on basic principles will simplify the adoption of an
inclusive agreement. Fassier noted that the Co-Chairs aim at finding
the suggestions, which will be directed at the improvement of the
future agreement.