Today, Azerbaijan
Feb 9 2007

Conflict can be settled in 2007; no Kosovo model to be used, top OSCE
official says

09 February 2007 [16:04] – Today.Az

"The settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict is very important
both for the whole region and from the aspect of the region’s
integration into Europe.

"I think the conflict can be settled in 2007. I stressed in my report
that there are gold opportunities for the settlement of the
conflict," OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Goran Lennmarker
said today at a meeting in Baku State University.

According to the PA President the existence of the conflict cannot be
regarded as an abnormal case.

"During the discussions of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, I always
state that such conflicts are normal in the history of Europe.
Azerbaijan gained its independence in 1991, and international law
recognizes its territorial integrity," Lennmarker said.

Lennmarker rules out the application of Kosovo model to Nagorno
Karabakh conflict, as conflicts have quite different characters.

"Decision on the settlement of Kosovo conflict will not influence on
the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict in any way. These
conflicts have quite different historical backgrounds. OSCE has been
dealing with the settlement of this conflict for a long time. The
OSCE tries to create a mild climate for dialogue. However, the OSCE
Minsk Group can not decide the way of settlement independently. We
are only mediators. I feel optimistic about reaching an agreement on
an option that will satisfy both parties. Parliamentary elections
will be held in Armenia soon, and in this situation Armenia thinks it
is difficult to take a step forward in the settlement of the
conflict. But I am sure we will achieve peaceful solution of the
conflict after the elections," he said.

The PA President also noted that many young Azerbaijani and Armenian
soldiers are killed in the contact front line every year stressing
the importance of IDPs’ returning to their home lands, APA reports.

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