ALIYEV, SARGSYAN MAY DISCUSS KARABAKH ONCE AGAIN IN 2008 – FRENCH DIPLOMAT

Interfax
Nov 14 2008
Russia

Nov 13 (Interfax) – OSCE Minsk Group French Cochairman Bernard
Fassier does not rule out another meeting of the Azerbaijani and
Armenian presidents on Karabakh settlement prospects before the end
of this year.

"The Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents may meet again before the
end of this year, but the choice is theirs. We are always prepared
to organize meetings of the kind," Fassier told the Azerbaijani
channel ANS.

The Moscow declaration of the Azerbaijani, Armenian and Russian
presidents is an important steps towards the Karabakh settlement,
the diplomat said.

"The document says that the conflict must be resolved in line with
international norms, which include the principles of territorial
integrity and people’s right to self-determination declared in the
Helsinki Final Act," Fassier said.

He welcomed the more intensive participation of Turkey in the Karabakh
settlement process and Turkey-Armenia negotiations as a new page in
the life of the region. The Turkish initiative of a Caucasian stability
and development platform will contribute in the settlement process. At
the same time, Karabakh settlement negotiations have only one format,
that is the OSCE Minsk Group, Fassier said.