Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
April 7 2006
US stepped up Garabagh settlement efforts, Azeri official says
Baku, April 6, AssA-Irada
The United States has stepped up its efforts to achieve settlement of
the Armenia-Azerbaijan Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict after the
latest high-level meeting between the two countries’ leaders, Deputy
Foreign Minister Araz Azimov said.
The parties failed to agree upon the issues of principle during the
negotiations held by Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Robert Kocharian in
Rambouillet, France in February, which was followed by mutual
threats.
`The visit by US co-chair of the [mediating] Minsk Group Steven Mann
to Baku after the Rambouillet round of talks and my discussions with
him in Washington show this,’ Azimov told a news conference Thursday.
He said Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov who is currently in
Washington will hold discussions with Steven Mann and US Secretary of
State Condoleezza Rice on the issue. `The appropriate steps continue
to be taken although no progress could be expected.’
The diplomat underscored that French co-chair Bernard Fassier will
visit the region next week to discuss further steps in the
negotiations.
Azimov added that Azerbaijan’s firm position on the Garabagh conflict
remains unchanged.*