ARMENIAN AND AZERBAIJANI LEADERS AGREED ON NEXT MEETING ON GARABAGH CONFLICT UNDER AEGIS OF OSCE
Azerbaijan Business Center
March 5 2009
Baku, Fineko/abc.az. Yesterday the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs have
summarized results of their visit to the region of Armenia-Azerbaijan
Garabagh conflict.
Russian co-chair Yury Merzlyakov claimed that the next round of
negotiations between the president of Azerbaijan and Armenia, Ilham
Aliyev and Serzh Sargsyan, would be held for the next two months.
"The goal of our visit to the region was organization of the next
meeting of the presidents, and in principle this objective was
achieved. This meeting is going to take place in the near future
within any international summit, maybe within the next two months,"
Merzlyakov said stressing that this initiative was backed by two
countries’ leaders.
US co-chair Matthew Braiza pointed out that the mediators did not
expect great results from their visit.
"We tried to expand efforts in direction of conflict settlement after
the January meeting of both presidents in Zurich. Our negotiations
in Nagorno Garabagh and Yerevan were uneasy, but along with that the
Armenian Leadership together with us came to single opinion to continue
this process. Both in Baku, Yerevan and Khankendi we met with civil
society. It is very important that civil society would understand our
balanced, thought decision that could move the process essentially. The
bad news is that the table of negotiations is now going to raise quite
difficult questions. I can also say that good news is that unsolved
matters demand solution through political will, determination and
difficult steps of the two presidents," Mr. Braiza said.
French co-chair Bernard Fasie said that after the Zurich meeting
between Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders they both characterized it
as efficient.
"Since then there occurred some cases, including on documents
submitted by Azerbaijan to the UN. Such cases can make it impossible
progress of the process in positive direction, but the process will
be continued. Principal consent on the meeting of the parties was
achieved and it is the chief thing," Mr. Fasier stressed.
The French co-chair also clarified his statements in Nagorno Garabagh
that people living in Nagorno Garabagh before the conflict should
also be involved in negotiations.
"It means that both Armenians and Azerbaijanians who lived there
should participate in discussions about their future. It is unknown
when it happens until relevant frames for their participation are
found," Mr. Fasie underlined.
He was also forced to explain France’s position on UN General
Assembly’s Resolution on Nagorno Garabagh conflict passed in 2008.
"As for last year’s UN Resolution (on situation on Azerbaijani
occupied territories, France voted against it as the document
stipulated one-sided settlement," Mr. Fasier said.
The diplomat reminded that negotiations on conflict settlement are
conducted on the basis of three principles envisaging non-use of force
and refusal from force threats, principle of territorial integrity
and right of people for self-determination.
"Our goal is to bring the parties to tackling of the problem by
diplomatic way through combined use of these principles. But the UN
Resolution stipulated only one of such principles. That is why we
voted against it," Mr. Fasier emphasized.
He also reminded that in this case the co-chairs were against
Azerbaijan’s initiative as two years ago they were against
non-recognized constitutional referendum conducted in Nagorno Garabagh.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress