BAKU 'RELIES ON' BASIC PRINCIPLES FOR KARABAKH PEACE
news.az
June 7 2011
Azerbaijan
The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, mediating a solution to the Karabakh
conflict, have not brought new proposals in their latest visit to
the region.
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov told journalists in
Baku that the basic principles already set out by the OSCE Minsk
Group remained the basis of the mediators' settlement proposals.
"There are six principles that were defined at the meeting of the G8
in Canada and we rely on them in our work. The first implies liberation
of the occupied lands," Mammadyarov said.
"In fact, the Armenians agree to this condition but set their own
which is to set the date of a referendum in Nagorno-Karabakh. However,
this issue remains open because of Armenia's position. The Armenians
already speak about the withdrawal of snipers from the front line,
but it is necessary to withdraw troops rather than snipers from the
occupied lands."
As for the composition of peacekeeping forces in the event of an
agreement, the minister said there was an agreement that peacekeeping
forces would be formed not from among the co-chairing countries or
neighbouring states.
"All these issue will require additional discussion," he said.
The basic principles for a Karabakh settlement include Armenia's return
of the territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijani control,
an interim status for Karabakh providing guarantees of security and
self-governance and the future determination of the final legal status
of Nagorno-Karabakh through a legally binding expression of will.
The Minsk Group co-chairs went from Baku to Barda on 7 June and from
there will go to Nagorno-Karabakh, Mammadyarov said.
"The co-chairs will visit Yerevan. Later, the meeting of foreign
ministers will be held in Moscow on 11 June," he added.
From: A. Papazian
news.az
June 7 2011
Azerbaijan
The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, mediating a solution to the Karabakh
conflict, have not brought new proposals in their latest visit to
the region.
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov told journalists in
Baku that the basic principles already set out by the OSCE Minsk
Group remained the basis of the mediators' settlement proposals.
"There are six principles that were defined at the meeting of the G8
in Canada and we rely on them in our work. The first implies liberation
of the occupied lands," Mammadyarov said.
"In fact, the Armenians agree to this condition but set their own
which is to set the date of a referendum in Nagorno-Karabakh. However,
this issue remains open because of Armenia's position. The Armenians
already speak about the withdrawal of snipers from the front line,
but it is necessary to withdraw troops rather than snipers from the
occupied lands."
As for the composition of peacekeeping forces in the event of an
agreement, the minister said there was an agreement that peacekeeping
forces would be formed not from among the co-chairing countries or
neighbouring states.
"All these issue will require additional discussion," he said.
The basic principles for a Karabakh settlement include Armenia's return
of the territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijani control,
an interim status for Karabakh providing guarantees of security and
self-governance and the future determination of the final legal status
of Nagorno-Karabakh through a legally binding expression of will.
The Minsk Group co-chairs went from Baku to Barda on 7 June and from
there will go to Nagorno-Karabakh, Mammadyarov said.
"The co-chairs will visit Yerevan. Later, the meeting of foreign
ministers will be held in Moscow on 11 June," he added.
From: A. Papazian