KANERVA SENDS ENVOY TO ARMENIA
Newsroom Finland
March 3 2008
Finland
Ilkka Kanerva (cons), Finland’s foreign minister and chairman-in-office
of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE),
on Sunday sent Heikki Talvitie to Armenia as a special OSCE envoy in
an effort to stem the country’s political crisis and an eruption of
violence following a contested presidential election last week.
The OSCE said in a statement that Mr Talvitie intended to meet Robert
Kocharian, the outgoing president; Serge Sargsyan, the prime minister
and president-elect; Vartan Oskanian, the foreign minister, and Levon
Ter-Petrosian, the opposition leader.
"I have sent my special envoy to try to bring both sides to the
negotiating table and to find a way out of this crisis through
political dialogue," Mr Kanerva said in the statement.
"The OSCE considers dialogue central to stability, and stability
is vital in the South Caucasus. Everything should be done to avoid
further casualties and any further escalation of tension."
Mr Talvitie was the European Union’s special representative for the
southern Caucasus in 2003-6.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
