NATO DEPUTY CHIEF URGES NEGOTIATED GARABAGH SETTLEMENT

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
posted July 5 2006

Baku, July 4, AssA-Irada
NATO calls on both Azerbaijan and Armenia to seek a negotiated
settlement to the Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict, its Assistant
Secretary General Jean Fournet has said.

"The dispute can be resolved only in peace and all other means
questioning this option should be given up," he told a news conference
in Baku on Tuesday.

"We are interested in the continuation of talks. But we have no
intention to act as a part of the OSCE Minsk Group dealing with
the conflict."

Asked of the alliance’s possible role in case the parties strike an
agreement, Fournet said this question could be answered only after
the actual peace accord is reached.

The enforcement of decisions passed by influential international
organizations has been in public domain of late. Particularly alarming
is the fact that the UN Security Council’s four resolutions on the
unconditional withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from the occupied
territories of Azerbaijan have not been implemented yet.

Fournet said the issue should not be addressed by NATO proper. He said
all decisions in the alliance are made based on a consensus and are
definitely enforced. Fournet said he is not inclined to talk of other
organizations in this respect but added that all of their decisions
should be properly executed.

The NATO official avoided commenting on the fact that 20%
of Azerbaijan’s territories are under occupation. Although he
repeatedly stated that the alliance is committed to fighting terror,
he failed to put forth a firm stance concerning Armenia’s committing
an act of terror against its neighbor. Fournet hinted, however, that
NATO has no plans to eliminate the aftermath of the Armenian terror,
adding that the organization intends only to jointly struggle against
emerging threats.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress