OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRMEN TRY TO ORGANIZE MEETING OF FOREIGN MINISTERS OF AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA: FRENCH CO-CHAIRMAN

TREND News Agency
Sept 18 2008
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, Baku, 18 September /corr. Trend I.Alizade / The Co-chairmen
of the OSCE Minsk Group on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement
plans to organize the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan
and Armenia within next session of the UN General Assembly in New
York. Today I will negotiate with other Co-chairmen – Matthew Bryza
and Yuri Merzlyakov – to attentively coordinate this meeting, the
French Co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group, Bernard Fassier, who
arrived in Azerbaijan via Armenia, said on 19 September.

The conflict between the two countries of South Caucasus began in 1988
due to territorial claims by Armenia against Azerbaijan. Armenia has
occupied 20% of the Azerbaijani land including the Nagorno-Karabakh
region and its seven surrounding Districts. Since 1992, these
territories have been under the occupation of the Armenian Forces. In
1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which time
the active hostilities ended. The Co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group
(Russia, France and USA) are currently holding peaceful negotiations.

This meeting was planned at the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of
Azerbaijan and Armenia at the beginning of August in Moscow. In order
to prepare for this meeting, we planned joint mission of Co-chairmen
approximately in the mid September, said Fassier. He said that firstly
it is necessary to assess the new situation occurred in South Caucasus:
It is impossible to regulate the conflict only with one side. The
events of the recent weeks actually changed many factors in the entire
situation in the region. Fassier also said that it is necessary to
thoroughly assess as each side itself assesses these changes.

After the drama with Georgia, all in the region must understand that
the Co-chairmen were right when they said that there is no different
version except the peaceful settlement of conflict. War is suicide for
all, for those, who could gain victory and also for those, who would
lose it, he said.The Co-chairman stated that he intends to meet with
the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, the Minister of Defense
of Azerbaijan, Safar Abiyev, and also the with the Religious Leader
of all Moslems of Caucasus, Allahshukur Pashazade.