SWISS DIPLOMAT: MINSK ACTIVE IN RESOLVING KARABAKH DISPUTE

Today’s Zaman
April 28 2010
Turkey

Both Turkey and Armenia should be applauded for the enormous political
will on both sides to normalize relations, a top Swiss diplomat has
said, stressing that the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security
and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is actively working on resolving
the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Micheline Calmy-Rey, the head of the Federal Department of Foreign
Affairs of Switzerland, who mediated talks between Turkey and Armenia
leading to the signing of the normalization protocols last year,
told deputies in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
(PACE) that "any developments between Turkey and Armenia should be
viewed in the context of attempts to normalize relations between the
two countries, both of which had shown enormous political will in
recent years."

Switzerland holds the chair of the Committee of Ministers of
the Council of Europe, and Swiss Foreign Minister Calmy-Rey, as
chairwoman, was asked questions by both Azerbaijani and Armenian
deputies on Monday. Calmy-Rey said, "The peaceful settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh dispute is being actively pursued by the Minsk Group,"
adding that "it is important to encourage meetings that would build
confidence between Azerbaijan and Armenia."

Ganira Pashayeva, deputy from Azerbaijan, pressed Calmy-Rey by asking
what she intends to do about the situation of those people who have
been internally displaced due to the illegal Armenian occupation of
Azerbaijani territory. "As you know, for more than 15 years, about
1 million Azerbaijani refugees and internally displaced persons have
been unable to return to their homes because 20 percent of Azerbaijani
territory is still under Armenian occupation. These Azerbaijani
refugees and displaced persons want and need your support. What are
you planning to do to help them?" she asked.

In response, Calmy-Rey said the solution to the issue of
Nagorno-Karabakh would depend on the outcome of the discussions held by
the Minsk Group. Another Azerbaijani deputy, Gultakin Hajibayli, asked
why the Council of Europe has not been effective in implementing PACE
Resolution 1416, which repeated the call of the full resolution of the
United Nations Security Council for the immediate and unconditional
withdrawal of Armenian military forces from occupied Azerbaijani
territory. The Swiss foreign minister simply referred the case to
the Minsk Group.

Calmy-Rey also dodged the question raised by Armenian deputy Naira
Zohrabyan about the remarks made by Turkish Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan in which he threatened to expel illegal Armenian
workers residing in Turkey.