OSCE’S KARABAKH MEDIATORS UNCLEAR ON SETTLEMENT PRINCIPLES
Public Television of Armenia
Nov 17 2008
The Russian co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group, which mediates
a solution to the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over the breakaway
region of Nagornyy Karabakh, has said that there is no clear agreement
on some settlement principles.
Speaking at a news briefing following a meeting with Armenian
President Serzh Sargsyan and Foreign Minister Edvard Nalbandyan,
which was broadcast on Armenian Public TV news on 17 November and
was also attended by the other two co-chairmen, Yuriy Merzlyakov
said that no agreement had been reached so far on a referendum
on Nagornyy Karabakh’s status or the return to Azerbaijan of the
districts around the separatist region that are under the control of
the Armenian forces.
"What do we understand by saying Karabakh’s
independence? Self-determination within the territory of the Nagornyy
Karabakh republic, in the territory that is approved by a referendum,
or the whole territory which is held by the Armenian side?" Merzlyakov
said.
The Russian mediator added that the seven districts around Nagornyy
Karabakh "play an important role in ensuring the security of the
population of Nagornyy Karabakh". However, he said, "in case there
is an adequate replacement, including an international guarantee,
those may well be returned. This is the simplest answer."
In the meantime, speaking at the briefing, the French and US
co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group stressed the importance of ensuring
the Karabakh population’s security. The French co-chairman, Bernard
Fassier, said that "the population of Nagornyy Karabakh should have
an opportunity to live safely in the future". The US co-chairman,
Matthew Bryza, said that "the population of Nagornyy Karabakh should
feel safe – safe from physical attacks and economic pressure".
The OSCE Minsk Group mediators also said that they would like to
continue their work in the same composition in view of the possible
replacement of Bryza after the new US administration comes into office.