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OSCE CHAIRPERSON-IN-OFFICE DIDIER BURKHALTER PROPOSES NEW PHASE OF STRUCTURED NEGOTIATIONS ON RESOLVING THE NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT
European Union News
June 3, 2014 Tuesday
Bern
Office of The Federal Authorities of the Swiss Confederation has
issued the following news release:
During his visit to Azerbaijan, the President of the Swiss
Confederation, Didier Burkhalter, met the president of Azerbaijan,
Ilham Aliyev. The talks in Baku focused on the situation in Ukraine
and on the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan concerning
Nagorno-Karabakh. President Burkhalter proposed to hold a meeting
between the presidents of the two countries marking the start of
a structured negotiation process for a peace agreement. At the same
time, he appealed for strict compliance with the 1994 ceasefire.
The conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh region was the main item of the
political discussions that the President of the Swiss Confederation,
Didier Burkhalter, conducted in the capital of Azerbaijan, Baku,
on the first leg of his trip to the South Caucasus. The dispute led
to a war at the beginning of the 1990s which ended with a ceasefire
agreement. Since then, the Minsk Group of the Organization for
Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), which is co-chaired
by Russia, the United States and France, has been seeking a peace
settlement. Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk (Poland) supports the three
co-mediators in this process in his capacity as Personal Representative
of the OSCE's Swiss Chairperson-in-Office.
In his talks with President Ilham Aliyev, Elmar Mammadyarov, the
foreign minister, and Ogtay Asadov, the parliamentary speaker, as
well as with representatives of the opposition and civil society,
President Burkhalter called for a commitment on all sides to find a
solution, saying in his capacity as OSCE Chairperson-in Office "We
must progress step by step towards peace. Specifically, he advocated
a new meeting between the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia that
would mark the starting point of a structured negotiating process
on a peace agreement. In addition, he appealed for the consistent
implementation of the measures to ensure compliance with the 1994
ceasefire. In spite of the ceasefire, numerous violent incidents
continue to flare up on the ceasefire line and at the border still
today. "Violent incidents 20 years after the ceasefire are unacceptable
to the Swiss OSCE Chairmanship," President Burkhalter categorically
stated. He stressed that the Swiss OSCE Chairmanship was ready and
willing to support both sides in their commitment, if desired.
Furthermore, he spoke out in favour of intensified direct contacts
between representatives of civil society in both countries as a way
to reduce prejudices and promote mutual trust. He also expressed his
concern about repressive actions against individuals working for a
rapprochement between the two countries.
Diverse bilateral relations
In addition to questions concerning the work of the OSCE, President
Burkhalter also discussed bilateral issues with his counterparts
in Baku.
The energy sector and cooperation in the international financial
institutions are important pillars of relations between Switzerland
and Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan belongs to the Swiss voting group in the
International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the Global Environment
Facility.
Trade relations between the two countries reached approximately
CHF 400 million in 2013 and showed an increasing trend in the first
quarter of 2014, not least owing to the trade in precious stones and
metals as well as pharmaceuticals and machinery. Switzerland supports
the South Caucasus within the framework of the regional cooperation
strategy for the South Caucasus, including a number of projects
in Azerbaijan on enhancing the framework conditions in the private
sector, improving water supplies and assisting internally displaced
persons. Switzerland has earmarked approximately CHF 29 million for
these projects for the period from 2013 to 2016.
For more information please visit: http://www.news.admin.ch/
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
European Union News
June 3, 2014 Tuesday
Bern
Office of The Federal Authorities of the Swiss Confederation has
issued the following news release:
During his visit to Azerbaijan, the President of the Swiss
Confederation, Didier Burkhalter, met the president of Azerbaijan,
Ilham Aliyev. The talks in Baku focused on the situation in Ukraine
and on the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan concerning
Nagorno-Karabakh. President Burkhalter proposed to hold a meeting
between the presidents of the two countries marking the start of
a structured negotiation process for a peace agreement. At the same
time, he appealed for strict compliance with the 1994 ceasefire.
The conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh region was the main item of the
political discussions that the President of the Swiss Confederation,
Didier Burkhalter, conducted in the capital of Azerbaijan, Baku,
on the first leg of his trip to the South Caucasus. The dispute led
to a war at the beginning of the 1990s which ended with a ceasefire
agreement. Since then, the Minsk Group of the Organization for
Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), which is co-chaired
by Russia, the United States and France, has been seeking a peace
settlement. Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk (Poland) supports the three
co-mediators in this process in his capacity as Personal Representative
of the OSCE's Swiss Chairperson-in-Office.
In his talks with President Ilham Aliyev, Elmar Mammadyarov, the
foreign minister, and Ogtay Asadov, the parliamentary speaker, as
well as with representatives of the opposition and civil society,
President Burkhalter called for a commitment on all sides to find a
solution, saying in his capacity as OSCE Chairperson-in Office "We
must progress step by step towards peace. Specifically, he advocated
a new meeting between the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia that
would mark the starting point of a structured negotiating process
on a peace agreement. In addition, he appealed for the consistent
implementation of the measures to ensure compliance with the 1994
ceasefire. In spite of the ceasefire, numerous violent incidents
continue to flare up on the ceasefire line and at the border still
today. "Violent incidents 20 years after the ceasefire are unacceptable
to the Swiss OSCE Chairmanship," President Burkhalter categorically
stated. He stressed that the Swiss OSCE Chairmanship was ready and
willing to support both sides in their commitment, if desired.
Furthermore, he spoke out in favour of intensified direct contacts
between representatives of civil society in both countries as a way
to reduce prejudices and promote mutual trust. He also expressed his
concern about repressive actions against individuals working for a
rapprochement between the two countries.
Diverse bilateral relations
In addition to questions concerning the work of the OSCE, President
Burkhalter also discussed bilateral issues with his counterparts
in Baku.
The energy sector and cooperation in the international financial
institutions are important pillars of relations between Switzerland
and Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan belongs to the Swiss voting group in the
International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the Global Environment
Facility.
Trade relations between the two countries reached approximately
CHF 400 million in 2013 and showed an increasing trend in the first
quarter of 2014, not least owing to the trade in precious stones and
metals as well as pharmaceuticals and machinery. Switzerland supports
the South Caucasus within the framework of the regional cooperation
strategy for the South Caucasus, including a number of projects
in Azerbaijan on enhancing the framework conditions in the private
sector, improving water supplies and assisting internally displaced
persons. Switzerland has earmarked approximately CHF 29 million for
these projects for the period from 2013 to 2016.
For more information please visit: http://www.news.admin.ch/
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress