EU SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE: "IT IS FRUSTRATING THAT A SOLUTION OF THE GARABAGH PROBLEM HAS NOT YET BEEN FOUND DESPITE A LONG-STANDING DIALOG"

Today
ics/43088.html
Feb 13 2008
Azerbaijan

EU special representative in the South Caucasus countries Peter Semneby
is frustrated with not finding a resolution on Nagorno Garabagh even
despite a long-standing dialog.

"It is frustrating that a resolution of the Garabagh problem has
not yet been found despite a long-standing dialog. But there is a
certain stability there, which gives hope", Peter Semneby announced. He
considers it to be positive that Nagorno-Garabagh conflict is not fixed
in the context of Kosovo recognition unlike Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

"I can only state it as positive. At least, one conflict in the
South Caucasus, is not fixed in this context", Peter Semneby noted
and added that the talks are absent in Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

"I hope they will be resumed following removal of tension around Kosovo
and improvement of situation in Georgia. The negotiation process has
not been stopped in Garabagh. Both Armenia and Azerbaijan participate
in them in the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group. This very fact
prevents both sides from any negative actions". Semneby said.

The EU special representative noted that the Kosovo conflict differs
from the South Caucasus disputes by its history. "The conflicts have
more differences that common features. Therefore, it is not right to
draw paralells between them", Peter Semneby considers.