MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS MAKE JOINT DECLARATION FOR PEACEFUL SOLUTION ON NAGORNO-KARABAKH

State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan
December 5, 2008 Friday

Russia, the United States and France called in Helsinki on Thursday
for peaceful solution on Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The three countries, or the OSCE Minsk Group’s Co-Chair countries in
the jargon of the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE), made the call on the sideline of the OSCE ministerial meeting
in Helsinki.

In a joint Declaration, the three countries urged the parities to
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to "build on the positive momentum"
established in the Moscow Declaration on Nov. 2 this year.

"We called on the parties to work with the co-chairs to finalize
the basic principles in coming months, and then begin drafting a
comprehensive peace settlement," the Joint Declaration said.

"We reiterate our firm view that there is no military solution to the
conflict and call on the parties to recommit to a peaceful resolution,"
the joint declaration added.

On the same day, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also stressed
the necessity to coordinate basic principles on the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict.

"We call on the sides jointly with the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs
to arrive at an agreement on the basic principles and then start
preparations for a comprehensive peace deal," he said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress