ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS KARABAKH’S INDEPENDENCE IRREVERSIBLE

Mediamax news agency
29 Jun 07

Yerevan, 29 June: Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan said in
Yerevan today that "Azerbaijan lacks the political will" necessary
for achieving progress in the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict settlement.

Speaking at a news conference in Yerevan today, Vardan Oskanyan said
that "it is time for the next step, which Azerbaijan is not determined
to make".

The Armenian foreign minister did not rule out that the OSCE Minsk
Group co-chairs would soon put forward an initiative on holding
individual meetings with the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign
ministers, after which the visit of the mediators to the region may
become a relevant issue.

Talking about the latest developments around Kosovo and Dniester
region, Vardan Oskanyan said that the stance of the Armenian side had
not changed and that Yerevan believes that each conflict has its own
history and should be considered in its own context.

"The movement of Nagornyy Karabakh towards independence is
irreversible. The given independence is de facto, and our aim is to
consolidate it de jure," the Armenian foreign minister said.