CO-CHAIRS EXPECTED TO DECLARE ARMENIA’S ATTITUDE TO MADRID PRINCIPLES

news.az
April 20 2010
Azerbaijan

Elkhan Polukhov Azerbaijan expects the co-chairs to provide information
on Armenia’s attitude to updated Madrid principles, said spokesman
for the FM Elkhan Polukhov.

According to Polukhov, these principles, prepared by the OSCE Minsk
Group together with the diplomats of Armenia and Azerbaijan, contain
basic, framework provisions of the peace plan for resolving the
Karabakh conflict.

Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group from Russia Yuri Merzlyakov has
arrived in Azerbaijan. It is the last visit of Yuri Merzlyakov to
the region as the co-chair. US co-chair Robert Bradtke is expected
to arrive Tuesday afternoon. The current visit of the co-chairs will
not be with a full staff. French Fassier will not come to Baku.

The visit will last for a day. No briefings are planned, although
the guests may say a few words to reporters.

In the case the co-chairs declare Armenia’s refusal to accept the
Madrid principles, Azerbaijan will consider the continuation of peace
negotiations excessive and step onto an alternative way to resolve
the territorial issue, said President Ilham Aliyev.

Azerbaijani FM said earlier that the co-chairs are expected to meet
Azerbaijani officials and discuss the Karabakh settlement.

Co-Chairs of OSCE Minsk – Robert Bradtke (USA), Bernard Fassier
(France) and Yuri Merzlyakov (Russia),- visited Yerevan and Khankendi
on March 26-27.

The statement they made after the visit fixes that the co-chairs
informed the leader of the separatist regime of Nagorno-Karabakh
on the negotiation process and discussed further ways of peaceful
settlement of Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict at the meetings with
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, FM Edward Nalbandian.

Deputy chairman of the Azerbaijan ruling party Ali Ahmadov has
commented the situation around the resolution of the Karabakh conflict.

Ahmadov told reporters that Azerbaijan highly appreciates the visits
of the premier and the Turkish FM in the United States where they
negotiated with the US leadership and discussed ways of the Karabakh
conflict settlement.

‘Turkey has urged the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs to spare no effort
to settle the conflict. Azerbaijan’s position is supported by Turkey
which satisfies us. Unfortunately, there are some countries, even among
the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs that find it difficult to demonstrate
their fair position and firmness on the Karabakh issue when it is
necessary’, Ali Ahmadov said.

‘We consider Turkey’s direct participation in the negotiation process
natural, as it is one of the OSCE Minsk Group countries. We believe
it is time to change the format of the OSCE Minsk Group institution
and Turkey is the best candidate to fill the format’, Ali Ahmadov said.