EX PACE PRESIDENT BELIEVES ELECTIONS IN ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN WILL HELP SETTLE NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT

Trend News Agency
Jan 22 2008
Azerbaijan

France, Strasburg, 22 January /corr. Trend A.Maharremli / The former
Chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE),
Rene van der Linden, believes that the upcoming presidential elections
in Armenia and Azerbaijan will help to settle the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict.

"I hope that the presidential elections in both countries will be
a new effort to resolve the conflict once and for all and forever,"
Rene van der Linden said during his interview with Trend.

The presidential elections in Armenia have been fixed for February
and in Azerbaijan for October. On the eve of the elections, the
international mediators are making efforts to strengthen the talks
to settle the Azerbaijani-Armenian conflict, fearing that replacing
the leaders may bring the agreements reached to a gridlock.

"I was optimistic, visiting the region two years ago because talks
and meetings were held between the Presidents of the two countries,"
Linden said. "This steady resolve should exist again in settling the
conflict. It is very important for the settlement of the conflict
which is a serious threat for the whole region," he said.

Speaking of his visit to the region in July 2007, Linden said that that
he was not optimist with regards to the negotiation process. "I want to
believe for the change of the situation for the passed period, Indeed,
it is very important that both sides demonstrate a will to resolve this
conflict via talks. Using other methods, including forceful methods,
is unacceptable," the ex-President of PACE said.

Answering the question whether recognizing Kosovo’s independence will
adversely affect the ‘frozen conflicts’, including the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, Linden said: "I do not know, but from experience, I can
say that even if Kosovo becomes independent, I do not believe in the
settlement of these problems".

According to him, the issue of Kosovo has been included in the agenda
of the PACE’s winter session and intricate discussions are being
expected on this issue.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries appeared in 1988
due to Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenia has
occupied 20% of the Azerbaijani lands including the Nagorno-Karabakh
region and its seven surrounding districts. Since 1992 to the present
time, these territories have been under Armenian occupation. In 1994,
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a cease-fire agreement at which time
the active hostilities ended. The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group
( Russia, France and USA) are holding peaceful negotiations.