OSCE chairman: Upper Garabagh ‘not a state’

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
May 5 2006

Baku, May 4, AssA-Irada — Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh, an Azeri region
under Armenian occupation, Georgia’s breakaway republic of South
Ossetia and Moldova’s Dnestr “are not separate states, although they
are geographic entities”, the OSCE chairman-in-office and Belgian
Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht has told the Armenian press.

Asked why representatives of the separatist republics were not invited
to a summit of the Baltic and Black Sea littoral states dedicated
to “frozen conflicts” flaring in the former Soviet Union states,
De Gucht disappointed Armenians, saying invitations to attend the
event had been sent only to recognized countries and their presidents.

“The summit is attended by the presidents of Moldova and Georgia,
as well as Azerbaijani and Armenian government officials,” he said,
indicating that Upper Garabagh could not be involved in the talks as
a party.

De Gucht added that one of the priorities for any given state is its
recognition by other countries.*

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress