FRENCH CO-CHAIR HOPES FOR INTENSIFICATION OF DIALOGUE BETWEEN ARMENIA, AZERBAIJAN
14:03, 23 Dec 2014
"2014 was controversial in terms of settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict," the OSCE Minsk Group's French Co-Chair Pierre Andrieu
told APA.
"Presidents Aliyev and Sargsyan have met three times at three summits
organized by Presidents Putin and Hollande and Secretary of State John
Kerry, and this reflects full commitments of the Minsk Group's three
co-chair countries to resolve the conflict," said the French co-chair.
The diplomat said that along with a number of diplomatic developments,
there also has been some tension on the contact line and along the
international border between the two countries which resulted in a
relatively high number of casualties compared to previous years.
"The shooting of civilians, especially the downing of a military
helicopter on November 12 is regrettable. This serious incident shows
that it's necessary to take some measures to reduce the tension,
rebuild confidence, and prevent this sort of incidents from ever being
repeated. The joint statement adopted by the ministers of the Minsk
Group's three co-chair countries during the OSCE Ministerial Council
held in Basel on December 4 highlights the same elements. I'd like
to get back to the Paris summit on 27 December which took place at
the French president's invitation on May 11-13 in Baku and Yerevan.
This summit allowing the resumption of direct dialogue between the
two presidents was held in a relaxed and confident atmosphere. Three
co-chairs of the Minsk Group and Personal Representative of the OSCE
Chairperson-in-Office were involved in the negotiations. The outcomes
were significant. The presidents decided to soon start the exchange of
information on missing persons during conflict under the auspices of
the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the ICRC has already
started working in this field. It was decided that to discuss other
confidence-building measures at the appropriate time, and I hope that
it will happen soon. At the same time, the three presidents thoroughly
discussed the negotiations.
President Hollande urged Presidents Aliyev and Sargsyan to demonstrate
political will to overcome the divergences and prepare their people
for peace. Year-end holidays may be useful to think about this year's
outcomes and future plans. Negotiations and contacts will continue
from January through the mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group. We hope
for progress in this compound file, as well as intensification of
dialogue between Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents at a new meeting
to be held in September 2015 as part of the United Nations General
Assembly as it was noted at the Paris Summit," he added.
http://www.armradio.am/en/2014/12/23/french-co-chair-hopes-for-intensification-of-dialogue-between-armenia-azerbaijan/
14:03, 23 Dec 2014
"2014 was controversial in terms of settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict," the OSCE Minsk Group's French Co-Chair Pierre Andrieu
told APA.
"Presidents Aliyev and Sargsyan have met three times at three summits
organized by Presidents Putin and Hollande and Secretary of State John
Kerry, and this reflects full commitments of the Minsk Group's three
co-chair countries to resolve the conflict," said the French co-chair.
The diplomat said that along with a number of diplomatic developments,
there also has been some tension on the contact line and along the
international border between the two countries which resulted in a
relatively high number of casualties compared to previous years.
"The shooting of civilians, especially the downing of a military
helicopter on November 12 is regrettable. This serious incident shows
that it's necessary to take some measures to reduce the tension,
rebuild confidence, and prevent this sort of incidents from ever being
repeated. The joint statement adopted by the ministers of the Minsk
Group's three co-chair countries during the OSCE Ministerial Council
held in Basel on December 4 highlights the same elements. I'd like
to get back to the Paris summit on 27 December which took place at
the French president's invitation on May 11-13 in Baku and Yerevan.
This summit allowing the resumption of direct dialogue between the
two presidents was held in a relaxed and confident atmosphere. Three
co-chairs of the Minsk Group and Personal Representative of the OSCE
Chairperson-in-Office were involved in the negotiations. The outcomes
were significant. The presidents decided to soon start the exchange of
information on missing persons during conflict under the auspices of
the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the ICRC has already
started working in this field. It was decided that to discuss other
confidence-building measures at the appropriate time, and I hope that
it will happen soon. At the same time, the three presidents thoroughly
discussed the negotiations.
President Hollande urged Presidents Aliyev and Sargsyan to demonstrate
political will to overcome the divergences and prepare their people
for peace. Year-end holidays may be useful to think about this year's
outcomes and future plans. Negotiations and contacts will continue
from January through the mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group. We hope
for progress in this compound file, as well as intensification of
dialogue between Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents at a new meeting
to be held in September 2015 as part of the United Nations General
Assembly as it was noted at the Paris Summit," he added.
http://www.armradio.am/en/2014/12/23/french-co-chair-hopes-for-intensification-of-dialogue-between-armenia-azerbaijan/