ARKADY GHOUKASSIAN ATTACHES IMPORTANCE TO PRESENCE OF AZERBAIJANI DELEGATION
IN ARTSAKH AS EXAMPLE OF POSITIVE DIALOGUE

STEPANAKERT, JULY 31, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On July 29,
NKR President Arkady Ghoukassian received members of a delegation
consisting of human rights activists and journalists representing
Armenia, NKR, Azerbaijan, Georgia and a number of European countries.

Arkady Ghoukassian attached a special importance to the presence
of an Azerbaijani delegation in Artsakh, which, in his words, is a
positive example of a constructive dialogue between two societies
separated by war.

Arzu Abdullayeva, Co-chairwoman of Helsinki Civil Assembly and
Coordinator of organization’s Azerbaijani National Committee, said that
the Azerbaijani members of the Helsinki Civil Assembly and the Public
Council of Nagorno Karabakh Settlement created lately in Baku are
for the Karabakh side’s immediate participation in the negotiations
process, peaceful settlement of the conflict and establishment of
neighborly relations between the societies of the two countries. Mrs
Abdullayeva said that a warm atmosphere of mutual understanding and
cooperation exists among Armenian, Azerbaijani and Karabakh NGOs acting
in the sphere of human rights. "We would like such an atmosphere also
to be established in contacts of official circles," he said.

As NT was informed by NKR President’s Acting Spokesperson, the
meeting participants attached importance to peaceful settlement of
conflicts and establishment of mutual confidence between the peoples
and societies.

Answering guests’ questions, NKR President, in particular, said that
the most important precondition for Nagorno Karabakh settlement and
establishment of peace is establishment of historic reconciliation
among the regional countries. Without this reconciliation it will be
difficult to realize any agreement of conflict settlement, to liquidate
war consequences and to pave a way towards regional development,
he said.