BERNARD FASSIER: WAR IS NOT A WAY OF SOLUTION, ONE SHOULD DRAW CONCLUSION FROM THE TRAGEDY OF NEIGHBORS

Azeri Press Agency
Sept 18 2008
Azerbaijan

Yerevan – APA. The next meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian Foreign
Ministers will take place in New York, French co-chair of OSCE Minsk
Group Bernard Fassier told journalists in Yerevan, APA reports quoting
Novosti-Armenia.

The co-chair noted that Mammadyarov-Naldandian meeting had been agreed
with difficulty."The Foreign Ministers have rigid work schedule,
therefore it was difficult to agree on the meeting. We will make
utmost efforts at the meeting in order to create conditions for the
meeting of the two presidents before the presidential elections in
Azerbaijan. The heads of states should specify their work schedule
once more to continue the dialogue started in St. Petersburg," he said.

As regards trilateral meeting of Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan,
Turkey and Armenia within the framework of UN General Assembly,
Fassier said it was beyond his competence. Yet Mr. Fassier said they
praised Turkey’s intention to contribute to the process of settlement
of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

"Turkey’s intention to contribute to the process and efforts to
support OSCE Minsk Group’s activity are always desirable. Turkey is the
member of OSCE Minsk Group and the co-chairs report to all the members
several times a year. Turkey is known for its constructive approach
to the process of settlement, but the format of the negotiations
has not changed. Three co-chairs will carry on the negotiations, any
proposal of other members of Minsk Group, as well as Turkey may only
be praised. The co-chairs are very glad that Turkey-Armenia relations
have become normalized," the co-chair said.

Bernard Fassier says the co-chairs visit the region separately because
of their different schedules. "Unfortunately we couldn’t come to the
region together because of heavy working schedule, but it doesn’t mean
that close cooperation between the co-chairs changed. We agreed the
visit to the region with each other. We look forward to hold joint
meeting in New York".

Fassier said he held very constructive meetings in Yerevan and noted
that Armenian leadership was against the changing of OSCE Minsk Group’s
format. "I had very constructive meetings in Yerevan and Khankendi. It
was confirmed at the meetings once again that negotiations held by
the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs prevented military operations". Fassier
added that starting the military operations in Nagorno Karabakh would
be suicide for both sides. "Latest developments in the South Caucasus
proved that how the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs were right to state
that military solution of the conflict was unacceptable. The war is
not a way of solution and it would be suicide for both winner and
defeated side, because post-war problems will also need to be solved
jointly. It needs to draw conclusion from the tragedy of neighbors".