PRESIDENTS OF U.S., FRANCE, AND RUSSIA CALL LEADERS OF ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN FOR SETTLING LONG-LASTING CONFLICT

Noyan Tapan
July 14, 2009

YEREVAN, JULY 14, NOYAN TAPAN. The Presidents of countries chairing in
the OSCE Minsk Group, U.S., France, and Russia Barack Obama, Nicolas
Sarkozy, and Dmitry Medvedev expressed their support to Armenia’s and
Azerbaijan’s efforts to complete elaboration of the basic principles
of the Nagorno Karabakh settlement. They called the leaders of Armenia
and Azerbaijan for settling the long-lasting conflict and instructed
the mediators to pass to the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan the
revised variant of the program on establishment of peace introduced
in 2007 in Madrid.

"We call the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan for solving several
remaining disagreements and bring to a final form their agreement
On Basic Principles, which will outline the general picture of
an all-embracing settlement," the joint statement of co-chairing
countries’ heads adopted lately read.

According to the Associated Press agency, Madrid Principles imply
return of territories adjoining Nagorno Karabakh to Azerbaijan,
security and autonomy guarantees and an interim status to Nagorno
Karabakh, land communication between Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh,
right of displaced persons and refugees to return to places of
their residence, final solution of Nagorno Karabakh status, "through
expression of will having a compulsory force in the legal respect."