MEETING AT NKR FOREIGN MINISTRY

Azat Artsakh, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh
Sept 29 2006

On September 26 NKR foreign minister Georgy Petrossian met with
Baroness Caroline Cox, the chair of Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust
leading the delegation of British and American benefactors visiting
Stepanakert. The foreign minister of NKR expressed willingness to
assist the projects implemented by American and British benefactors
in Nagorno Karabakh. On the request of the guests, Georgy Petrossian
presented the current stage of the settlement of the Karabakh
conflict. The foreign minister expressed concern about the Azerbaijani
efforts to report the settlement of the issue to the UN which is
now under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group. "We scrutinize
the current situation and draw conclusions to make efforts," said
the foreign minister. Georgy Petrossian also emphasized that it is
impossible to solve a problem affecting the fate of an entire people
without taking into consideration its opinion. "We fulfilled our
role in maintaining the cease-fire so why at present we do not have
the right to sustain peace?" said the foreign minister of NKR. With
regard to the relations with Armenia, Georgy Petrossian emphasized,
"Armenia guarantees the independence and security of NKR, as for the
sphere of political relations, both republics honor the principle of
not interfering." With regard to the continuing information war, the
foreign minister touched upon Baku’s allegations concerning the fires
in the border area. "We proposed that the OSCE conduct a monitoring
and get an unbiased opinion on the reality. The government of the
republic are willing to receive the international experts and show them
everything that interests them," said the foreign minister. Georgy
Petrossian said hopefully the members of the delegation will get an
unbiased idea of Nagorno Karabakh and will convey this information
in their countries.