OSCE ADMITS ONLY DIALOGUE IN KARABAKH SETTLEMENT: HEAD OF ORGANIZATION

Trend
July 2 2009
Azerbaijan

OSCE admits only dialogue in Karabakh settlement, chairman of the
organization, Greek foreign minister Dora Bakoyannis said during
briefing in Baku on July 2 after talks with Azerbaijani foreign
minister Elmar Mammadyarov.

"I am very proud of progress in Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict and
constructive discussions. We admit only dialogue," Bakoyannis said.

Azerbaijan plays one of leading roles in stability and security in
Europe, as well as South Caucasus, she said. "We need strong and
stabile Europe," Bakoyannis said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan
lost all of Nagorno-Karabakh except for Shusha and Khojali in December
1991. In 1992-93, Armenian armed forces occupied Shusha, Khojali and 7
districts surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed
a ceasefire in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia,
France, and the U.S. – are currently holding the peace negotiations.