Tweet
NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT TO BE PRIORITY ISSUE ON AGENDA DURING UKRAINE'S CHAIRMANSHIP AT OSCE, SAYS FOREIGN MINISTRY
Interfax
Sept 4 2012
Russia
Ukraine is concerned about the strained atmosphere in relations
between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and is calling on the countries to
seek mutual understanding.
"We realize that this conflict undermines stability in post-Soviet
territory, in the CIS, and in the OSCE. And we, as a country located
close to them, wish that both of the sides to be guided by rational
arguments, and not emotions. They should not disrupt the negotiation
process they've been holding in previous years," the head of the
Ukrainian Foreign Ministry's information policy department, Oleh
Voloshyn, told journalists in Kyiv on Tuesday.
According to him, there is excessive tension in relations between
Armenia and Azerbaijan. Voloshyn also said that there are enough
instruments in the international law to find a mutually acceptable
solution provided that the sides want to find it.
The diplomat added that mutual international animosity should not
prevail between the two countries.
Voloshyn also said Ukraine has good relations with both Azerbaijan and
Armenia, and it will do everything possible to settle the conflict. In
particular, the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will be a
priority issue on the agenda during Ukraine's chairmanship of the OSCE.
The diplomat mentioned that Ukraine has energy-related interests in
the region, in particular it is interested in oil and gas supplies
from Azerbaijan, thus, Ukraine is interested in there being a peaceful
and stable atmosphere in both countries.
The issue of Armenia's need to officially recognize the independence
of Nagorno-Karabakh was raised at the end of last week, when Hungary
extradited to Azerbaijan Ramil Safarov, who was sentenced to life
imprisonment in 2006 for the murder of an Armenian officer.
In 2004, Safarov killed Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan in Budapest.
The servicemen were visiting Budapest to participate in a
NATO-sponsored course to study English. The murder was committed in
a dormitory for students of the course.
At his trial, Safarov said that he committed the murder to take
revenge for the Azerbaijanis that were killed by Armenians and that
had to become refugees during the Nagorno-Karabakh War. Later on,
he changed his evidence and said that he killed the Armenian officer
because he allegedly insulted the Azerbaijani flag.
In addition, by initiative of the secretary of the Heritage
parliamentary faction at the National Assembly of the Republic
of Armenia, Zaruhi Postanjyan, a bill on the recognition of the
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic was submitted for consideration by the
parliament.
The Nagorno-Karabakh War started in 1988 following the declaration
by Nagorno-Karabakh, which was populated mostly by Armenians, of its
intention to separate from Azerbaijan.
On December 10, 1991 a referendum was held in Nagorno-Karabakh,
during which 99.89% of the population supported complete independence
of their territory from Azerbaijan.
An armed conflict was initiated by Azerbaijan and lead to its loss
of control over Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as seven more areas.
On May 12, 1994 a trilateral armistice agreement took effect and the
war ended. Around 25,000-30,000 people from each side were killed
during the war, and around a million people had to leave their homes.
Negotiations on a peaceful settlement of the conflict have been held
since 1992 by the OSCE's Minsk Group, co-chaired by the United States,
Russia, and France.
Interfax
Sept 4 2012
Russia
Ukraine is concerned about the strained atmosphere in relations
between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and is calling on the countries to
seek mutual understanding.
"We realize that this conflict undermines stability in post-Soviet
territory, in the CIS, and in the OSCE. And we, as a country located
close to them, wish that both of the sides to be guided by rational
arguments, and not emotions. They should not disrupt the negotiation
process they've been holding in previous years," the head of the
Ukrainian Foreign Ministry's information policy department, Oleh
Voloshyn, told journalists in Kyiv on Tuesday.
According to him, there is excessive tension in relations between
Armenia and Azerbaijan. Voloshyn also said that there are enough
instruments in the international law to find a mutually acceptable
solution provided that the sides want to find it.
The diplomat added that mutual international animosity should not
prevail between the two countries.
Voloshyn also said Ukraine has good relations with both Azerbaijan and
Armenia, and it will do everything possible to settle the conflict. In
particular, the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will be a
priority issue on the agenda during Ukraine's chairmanship of the OSCE.
The diplomat mentioned that Ukraine has energy-related interests in
the region, in particular it is interested in oil and gas supplies
from Azerbaijan, thus, Ukraine is interested in there being a peaceful
and stable atmosphere in both countries.
The issue of Armenia's need to officially recognize the independence
of Nagorno-Karabakh was raised at the end of last week, when Hungary
extradited to Azerbaijan Ramil Safarov, who was sentenced to life
imprisonment in 2006 for the murder of an Armenian officer.
In 2004, Safarov killed Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan in Budapest.
The servicemen were visiting Budapest to participate in a
NATO-sponsored course to study English. The murder was committed in
a dormitory for students of the course.
At his trial, Safarov said that he committed the murder to take
revenge for the Azerbaijanis that were killed by Armenians and that
had to become refugees during the Nagorno-Karabakh War. Later on,
he changed his evidence and said that he killed the Armenian officer
because he allegedly insulted the Azerbaijani flag.
In addition, by initiative of the secretary of the Heritage
parliamentary faction at the National Assembly of the Republic
of Armenia, Zaruhi Postanjyan, a bill on the recognition of the
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic was submitted for consideration by the
parliament.
The Nagorno-Karabakh War started in 1988 following the declaration
by Nagorno-Karabakh, which was populated mostly by Armenians, of its
intention to separate from Azerbaijan.
On December 10, 1991 a referendum was held in Nagorno-Karabakh,
during which 99.89% of the population supported complete independence
of their territory from Azerbaijan.
An armed conflict was initiated by Azerbaijan and lead to its loss
of control over Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as seven more areas.
On May 12, 1994 a trilateral armistice agreement took effect and the
war ended. Around 25,000-30,000 people from each side were killed
during the war, and around a million people had to leave their homes.
Negotiations on a peaceful settlement of the conflict have been held
since 1992 by the OSCE's Minsk Group, co-chaired by the United States,
Russia, and France.