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OSCE SECRETARY GENERAL: BASIC PRINCIPLES OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH SETTLEMENT MUST BE AGREED AS TOP PRIORITY
Trend News Agency
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News
July 21, 2011 Thursday
by: E. Ostapenko, Trend News Agency, Baku, Azerbaijan
July 21--The South Caucasus is important for the security and stability
of the entire OSCE area, and the OSCE is as active in the region as
ever, OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier said in an interview
with Trend.
"The political direction of the Organization is set at the strategic
level by our Chairmanship, which rotates annually, but I think you can
see that the OSCE has remained continuously and consistently engaged,"
he said.
In Armenia and Azerbaijan, we work to support domestic reforms through
our field operations, he added.
"With respect to the situation in Georgia, we are working on the
implementation of water projects on both sides of the Administrative
Boundary Line and exploring ways in which we can increase our
engagement on the ground," he said.
He said that the OSCE also remain deeply committed to helping to
resolve protracted conflicts in the region through the agreed formats
-- the OSCE Minsk Group, which is co-chaired by France, Russia and US,
and the Geneva Discussions, co-chaired by the OSCE, the EU and the UN.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group -- Russia, France, and the U.S. --
are currently holding the peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.
The Geneva talks were convened after an armed conflict in Georgia in
August 2008, in accordance with the Ceasefire Agreement of August 12.
Military actions were launched in the unrecognized republic of South
Ossetia in August 2008. Georgian troops entered Tskhinvali, the
capital of South Ossetia and later Russian troops occupied the city
and drove the Georgian military back to Georgia. Russia recognized the
independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia on Aug. 26 and established
diplomatic relations with them on Sept. 9, 2008.
He said that his appointment is not a question of a change in policy
so much as a continuous process of adaptation.
"Our work and approaches will continue to evolve in response to
changing security needs," he said. "All of what we do is based on
mandates agreed by consensus of the 56 participating States. This
means that the countries of the South Caucasus -- Armenia, Azerbaijan
and Georgia -- are not only "consumers" of our efforts, but also
contributors to the work of the Organization as a whole to promote
security, prosperity and democracy throughout the OSCE space."
He said that he fully supports efforts to address the protracted
conflicts through the agreed formats, and he is optimistic that
progress can be achieved.
"I met recently with the Minsk Group Co-Chairs and I share their view
that the Basic Principles must be agreed as a top priority so that the
sides can move to the drafting of a comprehensive peace settlement,"
he said.
Through the Geneva Discussions and the Dvani/Ergneti Incident
Prevention and Response Mechanism established within the framework
of the Geneva Discussions, the OSCE continues to seek progress
on resolving security and humanitarian questions. The ongoing
implementation of water projects is encouraging -- and we are also
working to address gas supply challenges, he said.
"I had the pleasure of visiting Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia
regularly as Director of the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre,"
he added.
"I look forward to visiting the region in my new capacity as soon
as my schedule allows," he said. "I intend to use my future visits
to discuss with the leadership of the countries of the region ways
to preserve and possibly further enhance the effective of the OSCE's
contribution to security and stability in the South Caucasus."
From: Baghdasarian
Trend News Agency
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News
July 21, 2011 Thursday
by: E. Ostapenko, Trend News Agency, Baku, Azerbaijan
July 21--The South Caucasus is important for the security and stability
of the entire OSCE area, and the OSCE is as active in the region as
ever, OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier said in an interview
with Trend.
"The political direction of the Organization is set at the strategic
level by our Chairmanship, which rotates annually, but I think you can
see that the OSCE has remained continuously and consistently engaged,"
he said.
In Armenia and Azerbaijan, we work to support domestic reforms through
our field operations, he added.
"With respect to the situation in Georgia, we are working on the
implementation of water projects on both sides of the Administrative
Boundary Line and exploring ways in which we can increase our
engagement on the ground," he said.
He said that the OSCE also remain deeply committed to helping to
resolve protracted conflicts in the region through the agreed formats
-- the OSCE Minsk Group, which is co-chaired by France, Russia and US,
and the Geneva Discussions, co-chaired by the OSCE, the EU and the UN.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group -- Russia, France, and the U.S. --
are currently holding the peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.
The Geneva talks were convened after an armed conflict in Georgia in
August 2008, in accordance with the Ceasefire Agreement of August 12.
Military actions were launched in the unrecognized republic of South
Ossetia in August 2008. Georgian troops entered Tskhinvali, the
capital of South Ossetia and later Russian troops occupied the city
and drove the Georgian military back to Georgia. Russia recognized the
independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia on Aug. 26 and established
diplomatic relations with them on Sept. 9, 2008.
He said that his appointment is not a question of a change in policy
so much as a continuous process of adaptation.
"Our work and approaches will continue to evolve in response to
changing security needs," he said. "All of what we do is based on
mandates agreed by consensus of the 56 participating States. This
means that the countries of the South Caucasus -- Armenia, Azerbaijan
and Georgia -- are not only "consumers" of our efforts, but also
contributors to the work of the Organization as a whole to promote
security, prosperity and democracy throughout the OSCE space."
He said that he fully supports efforts to address the protracted
conflicts through the agreed formats, and he is optimistic that
progress can be achieved.
"I met recently with the Minsk Group Co-Chairs and I share their view
that the Basic Principles must be agreed as a top priority so that the
sides can move to the drafting of a comprehensive peace settlement,"
he said.
Through the Geneva Discussions and the Dvani/Ergneti Incident
Prevention and Response Mechanism established within the framework
of the Geneva Discussions, the OSCE continues to seek progress
on resolving security and humanitarian questions. The ongoing
implementation of water projects is encouraging -- and we are also
working to address gas supply challenges, he said.
"I had the pleasure of visiting Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia
regularly as Director of the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre,"
he added.
"I look forward to visiting the region in my new capacity as soon
as my schedule allows," he said. "I intend to use my future visits
to discuss with the leadership of the countries of the region ways
to preserve and possibly further enhance the effective of the OSCE's
contribution to security and stability in the South Caucasus."
From: Baghdasarian