GORAN LENNMARKER: GOOD POSSIBILITY FOR SOLUTION ON NAGORNO KARABAKH

armradio.am
06.02.2009 14:50

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Special Representative on
Nagorno-Karabakh and Special Envoy for Georgia, Goran Lennmarker,
said that there is a "good possibility" for the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict to be solved this year, but "time is scarce" and it is now
"critically important to seize the opportunity."

Mr. Lennmarker, President Emeritus of the OSCE PA, will visit all three
countries in the South Caucasus next week. He made the statement in
an interview for the OSCE PA web site.

His trip to the region includes visits to Armenia 9-10 February,
Georgia 10-12 February, and Azerbaijan 12-14 February, where he
will hold talks with the leaders in the parliaments, governments,
and with NGOs.

Goran Lennmarker said the purpose of the visit is to meet with the
leadership of the three countries of the Southern Caucasus – the
Parliaments, the Governments, the Presidents, as well as with NGOs,
and to discuss the situation in general in the three countries in the
Southern Caucasus, and particularly the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
with the Armenians and Azerbaijanis, and the conflicts in South
Ossetia and Abkhazia with the Georgians. "I hope the result will be
positive signals that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is on its way to a
peaceful resolution, where the two countries, Armenia and Aze rbaijan,
are prepared to agree on a solution that is mutually beneficial for
both of them, particularly for the peoples of the two countries,
especially the refugees and the internally displaced persons (IDPs).

Asked whether he believes the Nagorno Karabakh conflict will be slved
in 2009, Mr. Lenmarker said he thinks there is a good possibility
for that.

"It is very much up to the leadership of the two countries to take
responsibility for resolving it. We from the outside can support
and help and also give support after a solution. But it’s the
responsibility of the two countries, particularly the leadership and
also the two parliaments to actually reach a peaceful solution."

"But I would like to add something about time. Time is a scarce
commodity. I think it’s important that solutions are reached early-on
because dragging on and on, the situation on the ground deteriorates
and people have less and less hope. There is a feeling that you
negotiate and you negotiate and nothing happens – a lot of talk,
delegations come, but nothing is delivered. And this reflects not only
on us from the international side, but also on the national leadership
at the political level. And I think that is critically important now to
seize the opportunity. Time is not unlimited," Goran Lenmarker stated.

The OSCE PA Special Envoy said the settlement of the conflict would
give an enormous imp etus to the two countries in all aspects of
societal life. Besides, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution would
have an enormous impact on the whole region of the Southern Caucasus,
he said. "The two countries that are affected, but also Georgia,
would benefit from closer co-operation and the possibility of more
positive economic developments."