POSITIVE DYNAMICS IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH PROCESS SHOULD NOT BE LOST: SPANISH FM

Trend
Jan 19 2010
Azerbaijan

Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos expressed hope that a
positive dynamic in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, created
by frequent contacts between the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan
will not be lost.

"A positive dynamics was created by frequent contacts between the
Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan that should not be lost,"
Moratinos said addressing the OSCE Constant Council.

Moratinos heads the six-month-chairmanship in the EU.

The last November meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents
Ilham Aliyev and Serzh Sarkisian in Munich became the sixth one for
the last year.

The previous talks between the Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents
were held in Chisinau, Moscow, Saint-Petersburg, and Prague.

The first meeting was held in St. Petersburg in June 2008, the second
meeting in Moscow on November 2, 2008 and the third was held in Zurich
on Jan. 28, 2009.

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.

Speaking about security, Moratinos noted the situation in Georgia.

Though the EU has a mission in Georgia, it was "in favour of restoring
the OSCE’s presence on the ground.

Minister said that strengthening of security and stability in Europe
must promote solving the real problems.

"The efforts we are making to strengthen security and stability in
Europe are worth nothing if they do not contribute to the resolution
of real problems on the ground," Moratinos said.