OSCE CHAIRMAN CITES RAPPROCHEMENT IN AZERBAIJAN-ARMENIA TALKS
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Sept 6 2005
Baku, September 5, AssA-Irada
The OSCE is closely following the results of the meeting of Azeri
and Armenian presidents in the Russian Volga river city of Kazan,
OSCE chairman-in-office, Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel
said after meeting the head of the Azerbaijani community of Upper
Garabagh Nizami Bahmanov in Baku on Monday. Bahmanov told reporters
after the meeting that Kazan talks are of great importance. “The OSCE
chairman said that although no documents were signed at the meeting,
a considerable rapprochement (between the two sides) was observed.” The
OSCE will continue working in this area, he said. During the meeting
with Rupel, Bahmanov stated his objection over the fact that Armenian
President Robert Kocharian’s participated at the event dedicated to
the so-called ‘independence day’ of the separatist regime of Upper
Garabagh. The OSCE chairman, in turn, promised to discuss the matter
with the Armenian leader during his visit to Yerevan. Bahmanov and
Rupel also discussed the settlement of Armenians in the occupied
Azeri territories and issues related to providing conditions for
Upper Garabagh’s Armenian residents to take part in Azerbaijan’s
parliament election this fall. The OSCE chairman vowed to work toward
re-settlement of Armenian residents from the occupied land.*