AZERBAIJANI LEADER WELCOMES KAZAKH ROLE ON KARABAKH

news.az
Feb 16 2010
Azerbaijan

Ilham Aliyev receives Kanat Saudabayev Azerbaijani President Ilham
Aliyev received the OSCE chairman-in-office, Kazakh Foreign Minister
Kanat Saudabayev, yesterday.

Aliyev described Kazakhstan’s chairmanship of the OSCE as a landmark
event, according to state news agency AzerTAj.

He expressed confidence that Kazakhstan’s chairmanship in 2010
would bring positive change and make a significant contribution to
strengthening security in Europe.

He was sure that Kazakhstan would take an active part in resolution of
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and hoped that 2010 would see serious
progress in a settlement. He said that strong political will was
important for the establishment of peace in the Caucasus.

Kanat Saudabayev thanked Aliyev for Azerbaijan’s support for Kazakhstan
as OSCE chair. He briefed President Aliyev on his meetings in Baku.

Saudabayev said that resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
would be a priority for Kazakhstan’s chairmanship of the OSCE. He
said Kazakhstan was going to kick-start all parties’ efforts to solve
the conflict.

Saudabayev presented to Ilham Aliyev proposals from Kazakh President
Nursultan Nazarbayev on ways to settle the conflict, Kazakhstan Today
news agency reported, citing the interstate broadcasting company Mir.

Earlier in the day, Saudabayev held talks with Azerbaijani Foreign
Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, after which the ministers gave a joint
press conference.

Saudabayev described his talks with Mammadyarov as very constructive.

He said that the purpose of his visit to the region was to discuss
the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

He said that Kazakhstan hoped 2010 would be a decisive year for
settlement of the conflict.

He also said that in 1991 Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev had
been involved in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement process.

President Nazarbayev maintains his interest in the conflict,
Saudabayev said.

The Azerbaijani foreign minister told the press conference that Baku
accepted "in general" the updated basic principles of a Karabakh
settlement.

"We consider the updated basic principles proposed by the OSCE Minsk
Group in Athens to be acceptable", Mammadyarov told the briefing,
according to Interfax-Azerbaijan.

This does not mean, however, that Azerbaijan agrees with all the
points set out in the basic principles.

"Our position is that that the updated principles are accepted in
general, but there are elements that do not suit us and require
coordination and the continuation of negotiations," Mammadyarov said.