France Welcomes Any Initiative Helpful For Karabakh Process

FRANCE WELCOMES ANY INITIATIVE HELPFUL FOR KARABAKH PROCESS

PanARMENIAN.Net
15.09.2008 13:34 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ France, as co-Chair with the Russian Federation
and the United States of the OSCE Minsk Group in charge, on behalf
of the OSCE, to assist Armenia and Azerbaijan to achieve a peaceful
settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, welcomes any initiative
of good will which could be helpful in the ongoing negotiation process,
Nicolas de Lacoste, a deputy spokesman for the French Foreign Ministry,
told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

"In this respect Turkey, as a prominent member state of the
Minsk Group, has always supported the efforts of the tripartite
co-Chairmanship which presented to both sides involved in the conflict,
last November in Madrid, a written document of "Basic Principles for
a peaceful settlement of the conflict". This document, result of
three years of intense negotiation between the sides, with direct
involvement of the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan, is still
under discussion and remains on the table," he said.

Earlier, Turkish President Abdullah Gul announced his intention
to mediate between the Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents. "The
OSCE Minsk Group failed to produce effect during 17 years of its
mediation. Turkey-Armenia and Azerbaijan-Armenia issues are not
only bilateral but also territorial. The situation in the region has
changed. Resolution of conflicts will lead to political and economic
stability," he said.