US MEDIATOR UPBEAT ON KARABAKH SETTLEMENT TALKS

Mediamax
Dec 4 2008
Armenia

Yerevan, 4 December: OSCE Minsk Group’s US co-chairman Matthew Bryza
has said that the meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign
ministers in Helsinki became another step in the negotiating process
after the successful talks of the two countries’ presidents in Moscow
and the visit of the mediators to the region.

Bryza made the comment when speaking on the results of talks between
the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers held on 3 December. He
said that progress can be felt at the talks, although disagreements
between the sides remain. "The only way to settle these disagreements
is to continue talks," he added.

Bryza said that the first clause of a peace agreement [on Nagornyy
Karabakh] should be about the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. "But
there will be no agreement if it does not contain clauses on some
level of self-determination of Nagornyy Karabakh and on non-use of
[military] force. All these principles should be included in the
agreement, and this is the main task of the presidents – to find a
common language," Bryza said.

"The main thing is that the two countries’ presidents feel to some
extent the beginning of mutual trust. Undoubtedly, there is already
respect between them, and trust will be obtained step by step," he
said. Bryza pointed out there is no military solution to the Karabakh
conflict. "I know that no-one wants war, including [Azerbaijani]
President Aliyev," he added.

Bryza said that following the OSCE ministerial meeting in Helsinki,
a statement on the Karabakh conflict settlement would be adopted,
and that the text had been agreed upon. "It cannot be ruled out that
following today’s talks, the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair will make a
separate statement," he added.