Pan Armenian News
KARABAKH SETTLEMENT DID NOT REACH DEADLOCK
28.05.2005 03:35
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ During the recent two months the negotiation process on
Nagorno Karabakh has been more active than during the recent two years, OSCE
Minsk Group French Co-Chair Bernard Fassier considers, Trend Azeri news
agency reported. When touching upon the Warsaw meeting of the Armenian and
Azerbaijani Presidents Mr. Fassier said that the negotiations are likely to
progress. In his words, the Co-Chairs are ready to hold consultations and
mediate however they are incapable to solve the problem instead of the
conflicting parties. Mr. Fassier informed that efficient talks were held and
further steps outlined. Thus, early June the Co-Chairs are scheduled to meet
with Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian. In mid-June they will meet
with the FMs of both states while at the end of the month the MG they will
pay a recurrent visit to Baku, Yerevan and Stepanakert. According to Mr.
Fassier the tensed schedule is the result of the Warsaw meeting. Touching
upon the cease-fire violations the diplomat said that the systematic
violations jeopardize the Karabakh peaceful settlement and called upon the
sides to preserve the cease-fire. When commenting on accusations of MG’s
inability to resolve the problem in the course of 12 years Bernard Fassier
said that during this period the parties themselves were unwilling to settle
the conflict and they have just come to realize that it’s high time for
peaceful process. He also said that the statements about the failure of the
peaceful negotiations are absolutely groundless. When expressing opinion on
the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline he stated that it will have great
importance for the region. He stressed that the states of the region wish
the Armenian-Turkish and Armenian-Azeri borders be open. However it can
happen in case the problem is finally settled and lasting peace achieved in
the region.