NATO HOPES NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT WILL BE SETTLED PEACEFULLY – NATO ENVOY

Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS
March 5, 2008
Russia

NATO hopes for a peaceful settlement of the conflict over
Nagorno-Karabakh between Armenia and Azerbaijan and will work toward
this, said NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for the
South Caucasus and Central Asia Robert Simmons.

Although it is not directly involved in the peace process, NATO is
closely following the negotiating process handled by the OSCE Minsk
Group, Simmons said at a press conference at the Interfax main office
on Wednesday.

Talking about NATO’s relations with Armenia, Simmons said the country
was going through a stage of active reforms to establish the rule of
law and democracy, which NATO supports.

On the other hand, the recent events that followed presidential
elections in Armenia, such as demonstrations, unrest, its suppression,
and the imposition of the state of emergency, raise NATO’s concerns,
Simmons said.