ARMENIAN POLITICIAN CLAIMS US MEDIATORS PRO-AZERI STANCE

AssA-Irada, Azerbaijan
July 4, 2006 Tuesday

The latest statements by the US mediator brokering settlement to the
Armenia-Azerbaijan Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict openly revealed
his slant toward Azerbaijan, an Armenian parliament member maintains.

The US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State and the new co-chair
of the OSCE Minsk Group (MG), Matthew Bryza, has told the press
that the mediators submitted a framework accord to the conflicting
sides and outlined its key principles, but added t hat the latter
have yet to accept it. Armen Ashotian, who represents the Armenian
Republican Party, said the first part of the statement did not cover
determination of the Upper Garabaghs status and the issue concerning
the Lachin and Kalbajar districts. There is a considerable difference
between the statements of Bryza and those of other MG co-chairs,
the MP said. He went on to say that the United States binds great
hopes with its new intermediary. He said international experience
in the area of settling conflicts over Georgias breakaway republics
of Abkhazia and South Ossetia enables a conclusion that these hopes
are not groundless. Commenting on Bryzas position on other issues,
Ashotian said the American mediator places a particular emphasis
on launching dialogue between Armenia and Turkey after the Garabagh
dispute is settled and normalizing relations between the two countries
in the future.