OSCE RAPPORTEUR OPTIMISTIC ON KARABAKH SETTLEMENT

news.az
Dec 2 2009
Azerbaijan

Goran Lennmarker There are good opportunities to settle the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s special
rapporteur on Karabakh has said.

Goran Lennmarker spoke to journalists in Athens on Tuesday on the
sidelines of the OSCE Ministerial Council session.

"At this juncture, there are really good opportunities for settlement
of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," Lennmarker said.

He said that the conflicting sides must understand that peaceful
settlement of the dispute should be based on mutual concessions.

Lennmarker said that "given the recent intensification of negotiations
between the heads of Azerbaijan and Armenia, we can expect positive
results in the near future".

Touching upon the influence of Kazakhstan’s forthcoming OSCE
chairmanship on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
Lennmarker said, "Considering the historic and cultural ties among
the post Soviet states, Astana’s chairmanship can positively impact
on the negotiations."