MATHEW BRYZA: THE ISSUE OF KARABAKH’S STATUS SHOULD BE SETTLED BY NK PEOPLE

AZG Armenian Daily #145, 03/08/2006

Karabakh issue

During his Baku visit the US co-chair to the OSCE Minsk Group Matthew
Bryza met not only the country’s president and foreign minister but
also Nazim Bakhmanov, head of the so-called "Azerbaijani community
of Nagorno Karabakh." Commenting on this meeting the later voiced
complaint that Bryza had met the Karabakh Armenians. Moreover,
Bakhmanov thinks that Bryza brought no new suggestions.

Curiously enough the US co-chair voiced optimism about the dispute
being resolved in early 2007. This is in fact the first public
statement of the embarrassed US co-chair about the failure of the
"window of opportunity." Not to show pessimism concerning 2006, Matthew
Bryza meantime states that there is still possibility that Karabakh
issue still can be settled in 2006 thus paving a path for elections in
Armenia and Azerbaijan. According to RFE/RL, speaking to the leaders
of Armenia and Azerbaijan, the US co-chair underscored difficulties
connected with the issues of Kelbajar, Lachin and referendum. Still
in Bryza’s words the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs are sure that it
is up to the people of Nagorno Karabakh to determine the status of
the enclave. "But the question is who should be considered people
of Karabakh. There are also people who settled there after 1988 and
also want to take part in the referendum. All these issues need to
be worked out as a part of an extensive agreement package."

By Aghavni Harutyunian