COUNCIL OF MINISTERS AND THE WHOLE OSCE COMMUNITY SUPPORTS THE EFFORTS OF THE OSCE MINSK GROUP AND READINESS OF ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN TO SETTLE THE NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT
ARMENPRESS
DECEMBER 1, 2009
ATHENS
ATHENS, DECEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS: The OSCE Ministerial Council in
summarizing the works of the gathering in Athens must state that the
Council of Ministers and the whole OSCE community supports the efforts
of the OSCE Minsk Group and readiness of Armenia and Azerbaijan to
settle the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, OSCE acting chairman, Greek
Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Georgiou Papandreou said in the
opening speech of the Ministerial Council, pointing out the essential
work of the Minsk Group.
"Thanks to the efforts of Greek chairmanship the process of settlement
of the conflict has not stopped, last week in Munich the meeting of the
Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents took place," the acting chairman
said, expressing special gratitude to his personal representative
Andrzej Kasprzyk for the efforts which promote the peaceful regulation
of the Karabakh conflict, consolidation of cease-fire regime.
"There still remains a lot to do for reaching the settlement. This
issue is dealt not only by the establishment’s authorized body, not
only by the co-chairs, but we – all the OSCE countries – must think
what steps to undertake to stabilize the situation," he pointed out.
In his speech he assessed the readiness of Armenia and Turkey to
normalize relations as a courageous decision. "This decision was not
made easily but it was possible to reach such a courageous step,"
Papandreou said.
The Greek prime minister said that there cannot be a more convenient
place to give new impetus to the establishment and that is why all
the member states came to participate in the session, sharing the
viewpoint of the Greek chairmanship which is necessary for reaching
serious results.
President of Greece Karolos Papoulias, considering the gathering as an
important political event, noted that Greece, as a chairing country,
initiated the Corfu process and in spite of the progress still there
is much to be done. Not all the disputes have been overcome.
December 2 Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan will deliver
a speech. Bilateral meetings of heads of delegations are expected to
take place. The issue of the 2012 chairmanship of the establishment
will be discussed too.
December 2 the results of the session will be summed up by foreign
ministers of Finland, Greece and Kazakhstan.