U.S. SEES PROGRESS IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH, HIGH-TENSION IN CAUCASUS

Hurriyet
Nov 4 2008
Turkey

ISTANBUL – An official from the U.S. said there is progress in the
efforts to resolve the long-standing Nagorno-Karabakh conflict but
refrained from declaring an end to tensions in the Caucasus.

The clashes between Russia and Georgia in August placed the region’s
frozen conflicts, a legacy of the Soviet Union, under the spotlight.

Russia recognized South Ossetia and Abkhazia, the two breakaway regions
of Georgia, while the negotiations to resolve Nagorno-Karabakh issue,
the other frozen conflict, had intensified.

"There is a lot progress in the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. There is a
lot happening. I can’t predict if or when we will succeed. But the
presidents of both Armenia and Azerbaijan seem committed to try to
reach a framework agreement now," said Matt Bryza, deputy assistant
secretary of state for European and Eurasian Affairs.

Bryza spoke to HotNewsTurkey ahead of a visit to Moscow the weekend
where he will attended negotiations on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue
hosted by Russia.

Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders met in Moscow at the weekend and
signed a declaration calling for a "peaceful resolution" to their
dispute over the province of Nagorno-Karabakh on the basis of "binding
international guarantees", taking a step further towards the resolution
of the conflict.

The conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia began in 1988 on Armenian
territorial claims over Azerbaijan.

Since 1992, Armenian Armed Forces have occupied 20 percent of
Azerbaijan including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven
surrounding districts, displacing 10 percent of the Azeri population
in the series of bloody clashes both between and within the two
neighboring countries.

Bryza, who is the American co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group that acts
as a mediator between Armenia and Azerbaijan to resolve the conflict,
also said Turkey can play a huge role in facilitating a resolution,
helping the mediation role by maintaining strong relations with
Azerbaijan and normalizing relations with Armenia.

"The mediation structure is now working very well," Bryza said,
ruling out suggestions that the warmer relations between Ankara and
Yerevan could lead to Turkey playing a mediator role in the process.

TENSION REMAINS HIGH

Although Bryza sounded optimistic on the resolution of Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, he cautioned that the tension in the Caucasus is far from
being over.

He said there are signs coming from South Ossetia, especially the
violence being carried out by gangs, and "there could be another
miscalculation that leads to war," he added.

"We urge our Russian colleagues to do everything possible to behave
responsibly… We underscore it is Russia’s responsibility as an
occupying power to ensure that human rights and the rule of law appeal
itself in South Ossetia and in Abkhazia and it hasn’t happened,"
he said.

He said Russia should allow humanitarian aid workers access to South
Ossetia and Abkhazia, adding it is violating its ceasefire commitments
by failing to withdraw all of its troops to their original positions.