New OSCE co-chair tells Armenian journalists Karabakh resolution in US
interest
Arminfo
19 Apr 04
YEREVAN
The new US cochairman of the OSCE Minsk Group, Steven Mann, intends to
represent the US national interests in his post. This was announced by
him at a press conference in Yerevan today [19 April].
“The US government has clearly stated that it is in the American
national interest to work for a peaceful resolution of the Nagornyy
Karabakh conflict within the OSCE Minsk Group,” Mann said. He said he
intends to work purposefully and honestly in this direction.
He also said he was glad to be back in Armenia and recalled that he
was the first American diplomat to lead the US embassy which opened in
Armenia in 1992. He said he was satisfied with the talks he had today
with Armenian President Robert Kocharyan.
As for the content of the “Prague meeting” of the Armenian and
Azerbaijani foreign ministers, and co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk
Group, Mann said that “useful discussions took place” but wished to
keep diplomatic confidentiality.
Responding to a question about the dates for his visit to Nagornyy
Karabakh, Mann said that he will visit it but could not give a
specific date. “There isn’t much time during this visit,” he
said. Mann will receive the foreign minister of the Nagornyy Karabakh
Republic, Ashot Gulyan, this evening.
Speaking about the reasons for his appointment, Mann said that in
taking the decision they took into consideration the fact that Mann
knows the region well and has worked over the past 25 years in the
Caucasus and in the former Soviet Union.
>From Yerevan, the new co-chairman will leave for Tbilisi, and then
Baku.