BELARUS READY TO CONTRIBUTE TO POSITIVE SETTLEMENT OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT

National Legal Internet Portal
Nov 11 2009
Belarus

MINSK, 11 November (BelTA) – Belarus is ready to facilitate the
positive settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, President of
Belarus Alexander Lukashenko told Azerbaijan’s Trend News Agency on
9 November, BelTA learnt from the presidential press service.

"If we (the OSCE Office in Minsk, Belarus, Belarusian people) can do
something, if we can bring something positive to the settlement of
this dispute, we will be happy to do it," said Alexander Lukashenko.

But this problem can be solved only by the presidents of Armenia
and Azerbaijan, the Belarusian President stressed. "Only presidents
of these states can settle this problem. In what way? Only to the
benefit of those people who have stayed there. These people cannot
live in such conditions and such situation," Alexander Lukashenko
thinks. "We believe the problem should be solved by the two states,
two presidents and two nations."

The Belarusian President said that Belarus cannot distance itself
from the problems of regional conflicts in the CIS, whether it is
Transdniestria, Crimea or Nagorno-Karabakh, because once we all lived
in a single state.

"We have discussed this theme with the presidents of Armenia and
Azerbaijan, without interfering with the nuances and problems. And we
have never used this problem in politics. We have never been friends
against anybody," said Alexander Lukashenko.

"It is a sore point for both nations. We understand how painful it is
for the Azeris and the Armenians," stressed the Belarusian President.

"This Gordian knot should be cut. It should be cut by the two
presidents. They should not rely on any mediators. The involvement
of others can do some good, but it envisages various obligations and
taking into account the third, fourth and fifth side. And everybody
will try to gain from this problem," said Alexander Lukashenko.