ARMENIA SAYS UN DEBATE MAY "SERIOUSLY DAMAGE" KARABAKH TALKS

Mediamax, Armenia
Dec 1 2006

Yerevan, 1 December: Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan said
in Yerevan today that Armenia continues to oppose the GUAM [alliance
of Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova] initiative to discuss
the issue of frozen conflicts at a UN General Assembly session.

Speaking at a news conference in Yerevan today, the foreign minister
noted that passing a resolution on the matter may seriously damage
the talks to resolve the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict, which have been
moving ahead in a constructive way recently, Mediamax reported.

Vardan Oskanyan also said that it was unacceptable "to put into one
basket" all the conflicts in the post-Soviet countries. "The mediators
themselves said repeatedly that the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict is
considerably different from all others," Vardan Oskanyan said.

Responding to a question, the foreign minister said that "Armenia does
not consider the possibility of becoming a member of GUAM since the
ideological basis of this organization does not suit our interests".

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress