OSCE IS IDEAL FORUM TO CONTINUE SETTLEMENT NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN AZERBAIJAN
AND ARMENIA ON NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT: U.S. MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIR URGES
Author: A.Mammadova, E.Huseynov

TREND, Azerbaijan
Nov 16 2006

U.S. Ambassador Matthew Bryza, the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair, stated
in an exclusive interview for Trend that the OSCE is the ideal forum
from which to continue the settlement negotiations between Azerbaijan
and Armenia on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. He was commenting on
the possible involvement of other international organizations, such
as the Council of Europe, United Nations and other organizations in
the peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh.

The diplomat stressed that statements by other international groups and
bodies that reinforce the OSCE Minsk Group process and the Co-Chairs’
Basic Principles may certainly be helpful. The leaders of the G8
countries issued such a statement in St Petersburg in July, he added.

Bryza recalled that more recently, the UN and OSCE worked together to
bring about an OSCE-led assessment mission of the wild fires in and
around Nagorno-Karabakh with joint participation of Azerbaijani and
Karabakh-Armenian experts. "I consider that kind of co-operation to be
a positive sign, and I hope we’ll see the two sides agree to more of
these kinds of confidence-building measures in the future," he stated.

‘We were encouraged by the positive mood and open-minded spirit of
the two Foreign Ministers in their recent discussions, as well as
their commitment to continue discussions based on the Co-Chairs’
Basic Principles," he said.

The diplomat voiced his belief that the basic principles represent a
fair, balanced, workable solution for the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
and hoped that the two sides will embrace those principles – perhaps
with some minor modifications and improvements based on their own
input – as the basis for enduring peace in the region.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress