RUSSIAN DIPLOMAT DOUBTS THAT ALL SIDES OF KARABAKH CONFLICT WILL AGREE TO TURKEY’S MEDIATION

ARKA
May 15, 2009

YEREVAN, May 15. /ARKA/. Vladimir Kazimirov, former head of Russia’s
mediation mission and ex-co-chair of OSCE Minsk Group, doubts that
all the sides of Karabakh conflict will agree to Turkey’s mediation.

Speaking Friday at a press conference in Novosti International Press
Center, Kazimirov remembered that Turkey even refrained from attending
neutral countries’ first session on Karabakh.

He said there have been cases when Turkish delegates along with their
Azerbaijani colleagues demonstratively retired from conference halls.

However, the Russian diplomat said he spoke about the ’90s Turkey and
his words not necessarily apply to today’s Turkey, though he voiced
skepticism at possible accord over Ankara’s mediation.

Karabakh conflict broke out in 1988 when Artsakh, mainly populated
by Armenians, declared its independence from Azerbaijan.

On December 10, 1991, a few days after the collapse of the Soviet
Union, a referendum took place in Nagorno-Karabakh, and the majority
of the population (99.89%) voted for secession from Azerbaijan.

Afterwards, large-scale military operations began. As a result,
Azerbaijan lost control over Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven regions
adjacent to it.

On May 12, 1994 Bishkek cease-fire agreement, put an end to the
military operations.

Since 1992, negotiations over the pe aceful settlement of the conflict
have been carried out under the OSCE Minsk Group’s mediation. The
group is co-chaired by USA, Russia and France.