NAGORNO-KARABAKH REPUBLIC’S PARTICIPATION IN ARMENIA-AZERBAIJAN TALKS AND ISSUE OF RETURNING AZERI REFUGEES DISCUSSED
By A. Harutiunian
AZG Armenian Daily
13/03/2007
Yesterday on a press conference Bernard Fassier, French Co-hair of
the OSCE Minsk Group, started his speech with statement that his March
7-12 visit to South Caucasus was made agree with the rest of the OSCE
Co-Chairs. He added that the talks will be continued during the meeting
of Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers in Geneva, March 14. Mr.
Fassier said that this visit was aimed at pre-arranging the meeting
in Geneva and the talks after it. He stated that his meetings with
the Presidents both of Armenia and Azerbaijan were rather fruitful
and were marked with constructive approach to the problem.
During his speech Bernard Fassier criticized the GUAM initiative on
"Frozen Conflicts" saying that each conflict has its own logic and
peculiarities, and is to be considered separately. Fassier represented
several differences between the conflicts in Kosovo and Karabakh. First
of all the Kosovo conflict is a conflict inside a single state,
while the Karabakh conflict is international.
Recently the Azerbaijani press was flooded with statements that special
attention of Mr. Fassier was drawn towards the issue of returning
Azerbaijani refugees to Karabakh. Yesterday in Yerevan the Co-Chairman
said that the question is currently under consideration but it should
never be messed up with politics or used for propaganda. Nevertheless
he never gave certain answer whether the issue of Armenian refugees
is discussed or no.
Bernard Fassier also avoided answering questions referring to
the recent meeting of Azeri and Turkish Diaspora in Baku and the
statements of Aliev during it. To be reminded, alive declared that
Armenia’s future will be threatened unless it gives up the claims
for Karabakh and the Genocide recognition.
Answering the questions of an Armenian reporters Mr. Fassier said that
the question of the participation of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic in
the talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan will be certainly considered.
However, he did not say when the discussion of the question is
to begin.