AZERBAIJAN, ARMENIA MAY SIGN ACCORD ON DISPUTED AREA BY SPRING

RIA Novosti
Oct 26 2007
Russia

BAKU, October 26 (RIA Novosti) – The presidents of Armenia and
Azerbaijan could sign a framework agreement on resolving a dispute
over Nagorny Karabakh by spring 2008, a co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk
Group said Friday. The conflict between the two former Soviet republics
over Nagorny Karabakh, a region in Azerbaijan with a largely Armenian
population, first erupted in 1988 when it declared independence from
Azerbaijan to join Armenia. Co-chairman Matthew Bryza said that both
sides could sign a framework agreement before Armenian presidential
elections next spring. Bryza said that during the recent meeting
between Armenian President Robert Kocharyan and the chairmen of
the OSCE Minsk Group, the Armenian leader said the signing of such
an agreement was possible, but stressed that it would be just the
start of the negotiating process. The Organization for Security
and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group was created in 1992 to
encourage a peaceful resolution to the conflict between Azerbaijan
and Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh. The group is co-chaired by U.S.,
Russian and French representatives. Over 30,000 people were killed on
both sides between 1988 and 1994, and over 100 died following a 1994
ceasefire. Nagorny Karabakh remained in Armenian hands, but tensions
between Azerbaijan and Armenia have persisted.