KAZAKHSTAN TO REMAIN NEUTRAL TO NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT

news.am
Feb 12 2010
Armenia

As OSCE Chairing State Kazakhstan will remain neutral to the
Nagorno-Karabakh problem lest it be accused of solidarity with
Turkic states, Shamil Stamkulov, Advisor to the Kazakh Embassy
in Azerbaijan, stated at the February 12 panel discussion "New
OSCE Chairman Kanat Saudabayev’s first visit to South Caucasus:
opportunities and forecasts."

"It is most important that communities start working to reach
agreements. I think Kazakhstan will lay emphasis on this. Kazakhstan’s
position is: territorial integrity is of primary importance,"
Stamkulov said.

According to him, all that has been done by the OSCE and international
community to resolve the problem will be used.

At a press briefing in Astaka on February 12, Askar Abdrakhmanov, an
official of the Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reported that Kanat
Saudabayev ill be on a visit to the South Caucasus on February 14-17.

"During his visits to Baku, Yerevan and Tbilisi he will hold meetings
with the leaders of the three states, Parliament Speakers and leaders
of political parties," he said.

The sides will discuss problems of security and stability in the South
Caucasus, aid in settling the regional conflicts, enhancement of the
OSCE’s role in resolving the problems.

Abdrakhmanov stressed that issues of assisting the settlement of
protracted conflicts in the OSCE territory and of enhancing South
Caucasus security are the focus of the Kazakhstan’s presidency.

"This is the reason why the incumbent chairman intends to visit the
region first," he said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress