Minsk Group Calls For Preparing Both Nations For

[MosJan]

MINSK GROUP CALLS FOR PREPARING BOTH NATIONS FOR MUTUAL CONCESSIONS

 

Mediators Meet with Oskanian and Mamediarov in London

 

On April 15, Vartan Oskanian, RA foreign minister, met with Steven Man, (US), Yuri Merzliakov (RF) and Bernard Fassie (France), OSCE Minsk group co-chairs, in London. The meeting was organized at the initiative of the co-chairs and was held at the US embassy to The Great Britain. RA Foreign Ministry informed that a discussion was held over the issues of the Prague agenda. "The meeting in London was aimed to prepare the possible meeting of RA and Azeri presidents in May."

 

In fact, as Yerevan used to state earlier, no direct meeting between RA and Azeri foreign ministers was held in London. The co-chairs also had a separate meeting with Elmar Mamediarov in London. It is already known that the next meeting of the Minsk group with the foreign ministers will take place in Frankfurt in late April, where they will prepare the meeting of RA and Azeri Presidents envisaged in mid May.

 

On April 14, Elmar Mamediarov told the Azeri Trend agency that "we have good opportunity to make a decisive move in the Nagorno Artsax issue." Emphasizing that the Prague process yields good results, Mamediarov said: "The achieved agreements helped to agree on the format of the negotiations. We expect that Russia, our friend, partner, neighbor and a country in chair will take more active efforts for the settlement of the conflict."

 

"It’s already obvious for everybody that if we keep sticking to the past, it will be hard to think of the future. They understand this in Moscow, in Baku and I hope that this viewpoint is shared in Yerevan, as well," Mamediarov said.

 

On April 14, the OSCE Minsk group co-chairs released a statement on frequent cases of violation of the ceasefire regime in the areas of the conflict, before meeting with RA and Azeri foreign ministers in London.

 

The French embassy to Armenia gave the statement signed by Mann, Merzliakov and Fassie, to Mediamax agency. Particularly, the co-chairs expressed concern about "the substantial increase of violation of the ceasefire in the course of the last few weeks that caused the growth of tension between Armenia and Azerbaijan," as well as about "the public statements on probability of a war."

 

"The statements about a war make the current efforts directed to the peaceful settlement of the conflict more complicated, increase the hatred between the two nations and do not prepare the people for the thought that they should live like neighbors and not like enemies," the statement says.

 

"At this important moment when the first step between the sides in the format can be done in the direction of the agreement elaborated though the mediation of the co-chairs, we call for the sides to prepare the population of their countries for the balanced agreement that will demand mutual concessions from both sides," the statement said.

 

In fact, before the call of the co-chairs, the official Yerevan has already begun to prepare the population for the possible mutual concessions. Serge Sargsian, RA defense minister, informed earlier that "the settlement of the issue will be painful for both sides, as there is no concession without pain."

 

"Today, we should accept that mutual concessions are unavoidable as a result of the conflict settlement. But, whatever is the volume of the mutual concessions, we shouldn’t speak much about them," Robert Kocharian said during the meeting with students. While on Wednesday, Vartan Oskanian openly stated during the press conference that the territories under the control of NKR are kept for security guarantees. Thus, if NKR’s safety is secured, the territories are given back.

 

It’s worth mentioning that the statement contains a hint about a possible crisis in the conflict settlement process. On April 5, Merzliakov said that "a package of suggestions" will be given to the foreign ministers in London. Oskanian noted during the press conference that they have exaggerated by calling that "a package of suggestions."

 

By Tatoul Hakobian

[hytga]

i put this in another topic too, but anyway

 

http://www.bakutoday.net/view.php?d=13156

 

 

 

‘No concessions for Armenia’ – parliament speaker

 

AssA-Irada 19/04/2005 13:37

 

Despite the OSCE Minsk Group’s insistence, Azerbaijan won’t make any concessions for Armenia, Parliament Speaker Murtuz Alasgarov said in a meeting with representatives of the EU-Azerbaijan Parliamentary Cooperation Committee on Monday.

 

Alasgarov said that granting the autonomy status to the Armenian community in Upper Garabagh after Azerbaijan’s occupied regions are liberated may be the only concession.

 

 

The speaker noted that although the conflict has remained unsettled for many years, international organizations fail to make serious efforts in this area.

 

“The peace talks are stalling due to the biased approach of international organizations to the issue.”

Head of the foreign delegation Maria Ishler Belqueen expressed concerns over unresolved status of the Upper Garabagh conflict and said that she has become familiar with the living conditions of internally displaced persons.

 

“Like the Minsk Group, we have an obligation to settle the conflict. It is possible that we have not correctly determined our activity for more than 10 years”, said Belqueen.

 

She said that the negotiations should continue at the meetings of Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents.

Touching upon Azerbaijan’s parliamentary elections due in November, Belqueen said the Committee wants them to be democratic and compliant with international standards.