EU READY TO CONTRIBUTE TO KARABAKH SETTLEMENT – EU REPRESENTATIVE

Interfax
Jan 20 2009
Russia

The European Union is interested in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict and is ready to help with the process of settlement, EU
Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighborhood Policy
Benita Ferrero-Waldner told a press conference in Yerevan.

"We have, and I personally have, always been interested in this
process. We shall be glad if the sides arrive at a solution. Recent
meetings of the sides in Moscow and Helsinki were good and I think
there are prospects for a meeting between the Armenian and Azeri
presidents," she said.

Hopefully, the situation in the region will drastically change after
the Nagorno-Karabakh problem is solved, she said.

"We are ready to contribute to the solution of the conflict. We know
there are differing principles to solving the problem – the principle
of territorial integrity and the self-determination principle.

It is necessary to find an acceptable solution," she said.

She condemned belligerent statements on the conflict, she said.

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said Armenia "will continue
talks in the light of the recent statements adopted in Moscow and
Helsinki" at the meeting with the chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group
for Nagorno-Karabakh settlement to be held on Tuesday.

"We shall continue talks with the co-chairmen and take efforts to
find a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," he said.