OSCE CHAIRMAN-IN-OFFICE SAYS CONCERNING KARABAKH PROSPECTS LOOK BETTER THAN A YEAR AGO

Armenpress
Dec 19 2006

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 19, ARMENPRESS: In an exclusive interview
to Armenpress, Karel de Gucht, Belgian foreign minister and the
outgoing Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE said some positive movements
have been made on the question of the protracted conflicts in 2006,
in particular concerning Nagorno-Karabakh, where the prospects look
considerably better than a year ago.

"The negotiations in 2006, in particular the latest meeting between
the two Presidents in Minsk on 28 November, have brought the sides
closer to an agreement on the basic principles for the settlement of
the conflict. It is my wish that the coming year both presidents will
redouble their efforts to finalize these basic principles as soon as
possible," Karel de Gucht said.

In response to a question how he could assess the efforts of the OSCE
Minsk Group co-chairmen during the Belgian chairmanship of the OSCE,
Mr. de Gucht said," The efforts of the co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk
Group are extremely valuable, in particular their proved creativeness
in developing "basic principles" for the settlement of the conflict.

As I already mentioned, the negotiations facilitated by the co-chairmen
of the Minsk Group and supported by the CiO have brought the sides
during 2006 closer to an agreement on the basic principles for the
settlement of the conflict." He also said the recent basic principles
being discussed between the two sides are very reasonable and a good
basis for further progress.

"I do believe in the possibility of having an agreement on the basic
principles in the upcoming year," he said.