NO MILITARY SOLUTION FOR NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT: OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRMAN

Trend
Dec 25 2008
Azerbaijan

The non-use of force must be the basic component in solution of the
Nagorno- Karabakh conflict, OSCE Minsk Group co- chairman Matthew
Bryza, said.

"It is obvious to me that no military solution of the Nagorno- Karabakh
conflict do exists", Bryza, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State,
said in the interview for Mediamax.

Both the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia do not desire new war,
which will become tragedy for both sides. Sides attained an essential
progress in settlement of conflict, he believes."I think that the
main achievement in the settlement process in 2008 became rising
of constructive relations between Presidents Sargsyan and Aliyev",
Bryza said.

A Moscow declaration was signed as a result of the last meeting of
Presidents of Azerbaijan, Armenia ad Russia -Ilham Aliyev, Serzh
Sargysyan and Dmitri Medvedev on Nov. 2. This document envisages
settlement of the conflict on the basis of international law and made
decisions and documents. This creates favorable terms for economic
development and comprehensive cooperation in the region.

Presidents Sargsyan and Aliyev noted in the Moscow declaration that
the sides must intensify efforts to approve main principles in close
cooperation with Minsk Group co-chairs.

According to Bryza, Presidents should prepare their community to make
compromise, resulted in peace, stability and prospecting.

The states-co-chairs ( Russia, France, and the US) and all OSCE Minsk
Group participating states recognize the territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan, Bryza said.

At the early 2009 co-chairs will visit the region with an aim to make
preparation for Presidents’ meeting.

The conflict between the two countries of the South Caucasus began
in 1988 due to Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Since
1992, Armenian Armed Forces have occupied 20% of Azerbaijan including
the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven surrounding districts. In
1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which
time the active hostilities ended. The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk
Group ( Russia, France, and the US) are currently holding peaceful
negotiations.