OSCE CHAIRMAN SUPPORTS ACTIVITY OF OSCE MINSK GROUP ON NAGORNO-KARABAKH: RUSSIAN CO-CHAIR
TREND News Agency, Azerbaijan
May 15 2007
Azerbaijan, Baku / corr. Trend E.Huseyov / The OSCE Chairman-in-Office,
Spanish Foreign Minister, Miguel Angel Moratinos, approves the
activities of the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group regarding
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and intends to call on the sides, Azerbaijan
and Armenia, to promptly agree upon the key principles of the conflict
settlement, said the Russian Co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, Yuri
Merzlyakov, on 14 May from Moscow.
On 10 May, Moratinos discussed in Madrid with the co-chairs ways
of peacefully resolving the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. "Before visiting Baku and Yerevan, Moratinos wanted to know
our assessments," Merzlayov said. Moratinos accepted our assessment
and highly assessed our activities. During his visit to the region,
the OSCE Head intends to call on the sides to promptly agree upon the
key principles of the conflict settlement. In addition, the Russian
diplomat said that on 10-11 May in Strasburg consultations were held
with the Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia separately. "We
discussed uncoordinated base principles of conflict settlement and
the sides gave their reactions to our proposals. We will continue
working and prepare our proposals in this regard," Merzltakov said,
not commenting on the reaction of the sides to the proposals made.
Merzlyakov informed of the visit of the co-chairs to the conflict
region at the end of May. "The date of the visit has not yet been
confirmed because responses have not been received from Yerevan and
Baku," he said.
According to the diplomat, there is no agreement yet to organize the
next round of talks between the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia
on 10 June in Saint-Petersburg. "It will be clear after our visit to
the region," Merzlyakov said.
The conflict between the two countries of South Caucasus started in
1988 due to the territorial claims of Armenia against Azerbaijan.
Armenia has occupied 20% of Azerbaijani lands including
Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven districts of the country surrounding
it. Since 1992 to the present time, these territories have been
under the occupation of the Armenian Forces. In 1994, Azerbaijan and
Armenia signed a cease-fire agreement at which time active hostilities
ended. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia, France and
USA) hold peaceful negotiations. Moratinos will visit Azerbaijan and
Armenia on 4-5 June.