OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS TO DISCUSS RESOLVING OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT IN FULL STAFF IN MOSCOW
Trend
April 21 2010
Azerbaijan
Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group in a full staff will discuss
resolving of Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict on
Thursday, Russia’s new co-chairman Igor Popov told media.
He said that afterwards, we will speak about the results of recent
negotiations between the parties.
Russian and U.S co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Igor Popov and
Robert Bradtke held talks with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and
Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov in Baku today. Former co-chair Yuri
Merzlyakov introduced Popov to the Azerbaijani side at the meeting.
It is expected that French co-chairman Bernard Fassier will join his
colleagues in Moscow on Thursday.
Co-Chairs noted that negotiations took place in Baku positively and
constructively. "As always, I saw the desire of Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliyev for a peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. We also attach great importance to the peaceful settlement
of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict with Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton and President Barack Obama ", Bradtke said.
Bradtke said that there are some points in update Madrid principles
on which the parties must reach an agreement. The co-chairs will
continue to work on it.
Popov said that he will try to maintain continuity and justify the
confidence in his new office. "With the change of the co-chairman
Russia’s position on resolving the conflict will not change, because
the president determines Russia’s position but not the co-chairman,"
he said. Popov also said that he will visit Armenia soon.
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.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994.
The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. –
are currently holding the peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s resolutions
on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh region and the occupied
territories.
From: Baghdasarian