Iranian envoy says Garabagh mediators’ efforts ‘fruitless’

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Posted July 10 2006

Baku, July 7, AssA-Irada — The Iranian ambassador to Azerbaijan Afshar
Suleymani has said mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group in settling the
Armenia-Azerbaijan Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict has been fruitless
and other levers of influence should be sought to reach peace.

"Each side is defending its own interests. Upper Garabagh has turned
into an intensely watched issue and the co-chairs [from the United
States, Russia and France] have their own interests in this respect,"
the envoy said during a visit to the areas in the Tovuz District
bordering on Armenia. The district is often subjected to shooting
by Armenians.

"The main thing is the Azerbaijani people’s interests, and they are
being abandoned. The co-chairs just sit down and make proposals,
but they should put pressure."

The ambassador who met with local residents to become familiar with
their living conditions said the rights of the local population to live
and work freely is restricted and their security is not being ensured.*