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OSCE SPECIAL ENVOY: SITUATION IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH MAY EXPLODE (UPDATE)
AzerNews, Azerbaijan
June 13 2013
13 JUNE 2013, 19:33 (GMT+05:00)
By Sara Rajabova
Special representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Protracted
Conflicts Andrey Deshchitsa warns about the serious situation in the
region due to the lingering conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia
over Nagorno-Karabakh.
The situation in Nagorno-Karabakh continues to be complicated and may
explode, particularly in connection with the intention of Armenia to
open air traffic to the region, he said at a meeting of the Strategic
Discussion Club in Kiev on June 12, UKRINFORM news agency reported.
Deshchitsa said the Ukrainian chairmanship of the OSCE has offered
both sides to hold a meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents
as soon as possible.
He also pointed to the stabilizing factors in the region, in
particular, this year's presidential elections in Azerbaijan and
Armenia. In addition, the Sochi Olympics to be held by Russia next
year is also a stabilizing factor, according to Deshchitsa.
"Russia is interested in a tranquil and safe Caucasus," he said,
adding that Russia is playing a constructive role in maintaining
regional security.
Earlier, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Leonid
Kozhara said Ukraine's OSCE chairmanship lends its full support to the
efforts of the mediating OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs in assisting the
parties to find a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Kozhara also said that on June 17-20, during a visit to the South
Caucasus region, he will call for more active peace negotiations.
Kozhara will stay in Azerbaijan on June 17-18, in Georgia on June
18-19, and in Armenia on June 19-20. During the visit, he will meet
with the leaders of those countries and representatives of political
parties to discuss the pressing issues related to OSCE activities in
the region.
The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict emerged in 1988 when Armenia made
territorial claims against the neighboring country. Since a lengthy
war between the two South Caucasus countries that displaced over
a million Azerbaijanis and ended with the signing of a precarious
cease-fire in 1994, Armenian armed forces have occupied over 20 percent
of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including the
Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
Peace talks brokered by Minsk Group co-chairs representing the United
States, Russia and France have been largely fruitless so far.
The negotiations are underway on the basis of a peace outline proposed
by the Minsk Group co-chairs and dubbed the Madrid Principles, also
known as Basic Principles. The document envisions a return of the
territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijani control;
determining the final legal status of Nagorno-Karabakh; a corridor
linking Armenia to the region; and the right of all internally
displaced persons to return home.
http://www.azernews.az/azerbaijan/55353.html
From: A. Papazian
AzerNews, Azerbaijan
June 13 2013
13 JUNE 2013, 19:33 (GMT+05:00)
By Sara Rajabova
Special representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Protracted
Conflicts Andrey Deshchitsa warns about the serious situation in the
region due to the lingering conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia
over Nagorno-Karabakh.
The situation in Nagorno-Karabakh continues to be complicated and may
explode, particularly in connection with the intention of Armenia to
open air traffic to the region, he said at a meeting of the Strategic
Discussion Club in Kiev on June 12, UKRINFORM news agency reported.
Deshchitsa said the Ukrainian chairmanship of the OSCE has offered
both sides to hold a meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents
as soon as possible.
He also pointed to the stabilizing factors in the region, in
particular, this year's presidential elections in Azerbaijan and
Armenia. In addition, the Sochi Olympics to be held by Russia next
year is also a stabilizing factor, according to Deshchitsa.
"Russia is interested in a tranquil and safe Caucasus," he said,
adding that Russia is playing a constructive role in maintaining
regional security.
Earlier, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Leonid
Kozhara said Ukraine's OSCE chairmanship lends its full support to the
efforts of the mediating OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs in assisting the
parties to find a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Kozhara also said that on June 17-20, during a visit to the South
Caucasus region, he will call for more active peace negotiations.
Kozhara will stay in Azerbaijan on June 17-18, in Georgia on June
18-19, and in Armenia on June 19-20. During the visit, he will meet
with the leaders of those countries and representatives of political
parties to discuss the pressing issues related to OSCE activities in
the region.
The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict emerged in 1988 when Armenia made
territorial claims against the neighboring country. Since a lengthy
war between the two South Caucasus countries that displaced over
a million Azerbaijanis and ended with the signing of a precarious
cease-fire in 1994, Armenian armed forces have occupied over 20 percent
of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including the
Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
Peace talks brokered by Minsk Group co-chairs representing the United
States, Russia and France have been largely fruitless so far.
The negotiations are underway on the basis of a peace outline proposed
by the Minsk Group co-chairs and dubbed the Madrid Principles, also
known as Basic Principles. The document envisions a return of the
territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijani control;
determining the final legal status of Nagorno-Karabakh; a corridor
linking Armenia to the region; and the right of all internally
displaced persons to return home.
http://www.azernews.az/azerbaijan/55353.html
From: A. Papazian