TENDENCIES OF PROCESS ACCELERATION OUTLINED IN NAGORNO KARABAKH SETTLEMENT PROCESS
NOYAN TAPAN
APRIL 28, 2009
YEREVAN
Tendencies of process acceleration are outlined in the Nagorno Karabakh
settlement process. OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs stated at the April 27
press conference. They expressed the hope that the meeting of RA and
Azeri Presidents to be held on May 7 in Prague will be constructive.
MG French Co-chair Bernard Fassier drew attention to much activation of
Co-chairs’ visits to the region and three meetings between Presidents
of Armenia and Azerbaijan in the past months. "There are reasonable
hopes for progress, and these hopes prompt us that Prague meeting
will be constructive. Everything depends on the two Presidents’ will,"
B. Fassier stated.
American Co-chair Matthew Bryza also expressed an analogous point
of view.
At the same time he refuted the assertion that U.S. State Secretary
Hillary Clinton made a statement about the possibility of that
problem’s solution within a month. "My leader stated that the conflict
may be solved within several months," he said.
According to MG Russian Co-chair Yuri Merzliakov, there are
all conditions for ensuring advance in the process of conflict
settlement. As to the possibility of Nagorno Karabakh conflict
settlement in the nearest time, Y. Merzliakov noted that time
predictions is the most difficult thing. In his words, everything
will depend on the decision the sides, in particular, Presidents
of Armenia and Azerbaijan, will make on the fundamental or basic
principles of settlement. The Russian diplomat said that after
coordination of these principles by the sides work will be done to
work out a peaceful agreement.
"Madrid principles" remain on the table, the Presidents continue
discussing them, discussion of many of these points is planned during
Prague meeting," B. Fassier stated. In his words, if necessary, a new
meeting between Serzh Sargsyan and Ilham Aliyev will be organized in
early June in Saint Petersburg. He also expressed conviction that both
Presidents intend to prepare the public opinion in their countries
for the purpose of forming an atmosphere of good neighborly relations.
M. Bryza said that both Presidents proceed from the fact that an
agreement on Nagorno Karabakh settlement should be balanced and
based on principles of self-determination, territorial integrity and
exclusion of use of force.