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Co-chairs: â€œAzerbaijani and Armenian presidents agreed to hold next meetingâ€

04 March 2009 07:45 (UTC +04:00)

According to APA, Bryza said they had interesting and constructive, but not easy discussions during the visit. It was decided in the discussions to develop the process because there were very difficult issues on the table of negotiations, the diplomat said. â€œBut we canâ€™t make public what issues are thereâ€.

Russian co-chair Merzlyakov said one of the main goals of their visit was to organize the next meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents. The diplomat said both presidents agreed preliminary to hold the meeting and they expected to meet within next two months. â€œThe meeting will be organized in the useful moment. It would take place within the framework of any summit or eventâ€.

French co-chair Bernard Fassier mentioned the document Azerbaijan submitted to UN last December and the co-chairsâ€™ reaction to this document. The mediator said the documents spread by Azerbaijan could create problems for the positive points of the negotiations process, but it was important factor to develop the discussions. â€œThe documents prepared and spread by Azerbaijan have informative character. We followed the goal focusing attention on these documents and making statement. We think that the Nagorno Karabakh process should be settled on the basis of three principles: territorial integrity, self-determination and non-use of force. We recommend to the parts to reach solution to the conflict by the political way coordinating all three principles. Azerbaijan described only the principle of territorial integrity in the documents spread in UN, which concern us. But it doesnâ€™t mean that the co-chairs defended Armeniaâ€™s position in their last statement and isolated Azerbaijan. Our only goal is to prevent the attempts which damage the negotiations process.

Andrzej Kasprzyk, Personal representative of OSCE Chairman-in-Office touched upon violation of cease-fire in the contact line of troops during the last monitoring. He stated that he would make a statement and submit it to OSCE Chairman and MG member countries.
â€œI make regular statements on cease-fires. The statements are not published, because they are confidential. The main is fact that everybody wants cease-fire to be observed and is anxious about the issue. It is impossible to observe cease-fire without mutual cooperation and achieve a real result on the solution to the conflict,â€ he said.
Fassier noted that Co-Chairs urged the sides to observe cease-fire and otherwise the both of sides had losses.
â€œ30 people were victims of violation of cease-fire from both of sides last year. There are 6 losses within two months of this year. The victims have been shot with sniper. We have urged the sides to take snipers from contact-line. They did not obey our demand,â€ he said.
Fassier added that Co-Chairs make an annual statement on measures taken in the settlement of the conflict and submit it to OSCE Permanent Council and MG.
â€œWe will submit an annual statement (2008) soon ,â€ he said.