OSCE SAYS NAGORNO-KARABAKH TO BE RESOLVED WITHIN A YEAR
Islamic Republic News Agency, Iran
Dec 5 2006
Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht who currently chairs the
Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said Monday
that a solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is "in reach within
one year."
"We have made really substantial progress if not a breakthrough with
respect to Nagorno-Karabakh," de Gucht told a press conference in
Brussels Monday night following the end of the first day of the 2-day
OSCE ministerial meeting.
The Belgian foreign minister said he has held several meetings with
the Presidents of both Azerbaijan and Armenia.
"The trust between the two countries has grown considerably," he noted.
On other "frozen conflicts" in former Soviet states such as Abkhazia
and South Ossetia regions in Georgia, in Moldova , de Gucth said no
text was possible because of Russian opposition.
"There is a clear refusal on the Russian side even to discuss it.
No text possible," he said.
Foreign ministers from the 56 OSCE member states are holding their
annual Ministerial Council in Brussels on Monday and Tuesday.
The OSCE is a western security organisation founded in 1973, which
is concerned with conflict prevention, election observing and the
rehabilitation of post-conflict areas.