Trend, Azerbaijan
Aug 12 2009

OSCE U.S. co-chairman prefers not to comment on Armenian politician’s
statement

Azerbaijan, Baku, Aug. 12 / corr Trend News E.Tariverdiyeva /

U.S co-chairman of OSCE Matthew Bryza prefers not to comment on
Armenian politician’s proposal to declare him "persona non grata" in
Armenia.

"I’d prefer not to comment much on the statement by one or a few
Armenian politicians. I only wish to note that all the people involved
with the Minsk Group negotiations, and I myself, know how fair I have
always been in negotiations on Nagorno-Karabakh, offering countless
ideas on how to resolve the differences between the parties,"

Chairman of the Constitutional Right Union party Aik Babukhanyan
criticized sharply Bryza’s recent statements on the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict and proposed to declare him "persona non grata" in Armenia,
Armenia Today news agency said.

"About a year ago I said that the Armenian authorities should declare
Bryza "persona non grata", and still I hold the same opinion. That is
what a person, a foreign diplomat, who does not respect the Armenian
nation, the state and the authorities deserve," Babukhanyan said at a
news conference.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding
districts. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in
1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the
U.S. – are currently holding the peace negotiations.