MATTHEW BRYZA COMMENTS ON DETAILS OF NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT TALKS
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
April 26 2007
"The changes to the initial 2006 State Department Country Reports on
Human Rights Practices are right. The previous variant of the report
was wrong. The situation needed clarifying, because the current stage
of negotiations on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict is very delicate,"
US Assistant Secretary of State, OSCE Minsk group co-chair Mathew
Bryza said in his interview to radio Voice of America, APA reports.
He said that he respects Azerbaijan’s position but being a mediator
he can not support any of the parties.
"The initial variant of the report noted that Nagorno Karabakh is under
Armenia’s occupation. This is Azerbaijan’s position. We understand
and respect this position. But as mediators we can not support any
of the parties. Armenia’s position is that they have not occupied
Nagorno Karabakh. The amendment made to the report does not mean to
support one of the parties. We only stated that Armenian government
says they have not occupied Nagorno Karabakh," he said.
Noting that the current stage of negotiations is promising, Matthew
Bryza underlined that the main topic of discussion is connected with
the status of Nagorno Karabakh.
"If our position is a little closer to the position of one of the
sides, we might cast shadow on the results of the negotiations. The
negotiations are being held between the parties to the conflict,
and the US is just a mediator," Bryza said.
Commenting on the current state of negotiations, Matthew Bryza said
that the process is close to reach an agreement on the basis of basic
principles proposed by the OSCE Minsk group co-chairs last year.
"These principles will be the formal essence of agreement. We hope
if the presidents reach an agreement on the basic principles soon,
it will be followed by intensive stage of negotiations when the
final peace treaty will be debated. In other words, basic principles
are the main terms of these negotiations. These main principles
envisage withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from the five regions
adjacent to Nagorno Karabakh, returning them to Azerbaijan, deploying
peacekeepers and brining IDPs back to their original places. The
negotiations on the conditions of releasing of Kalbajar and Lachin
still continue. We are close to the agreement on this issue. The
principles also cover providing corridor uniting Nagorno Karabakh and
Armenia that will be used for trade and civil purposes. Following this,
the status of Nagorno Karabakh will be determined by negotiations
and referendum. Azerbaijan is against using the word referendum,
as it contradicts the country’s constitution. Therefore, we continue
negotiations for holding elections," he said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
