OSCE CHAIRMAN NOTES CONVERGENCE OF OPINIONS ON KARABAKH DISPUTE
STA news agency, Ljubljana
6 Sep 05
Yerevan, 6 September: Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel, the OSCE
chairman, was optimistic about Nagornyy Karabakh after talks with his
Armenian counterpart Vardan Oskanyan. There are signs of convergence
of views on the resolution of the conflict, but “the devil is in the
details,” he told the press in Yerevan on Tuesday [6 September].
The Armenian foreign minister also stressed after talks with Rupel
that the two sides have come to a common denominator, but the details,
which he refused to discuss, remain open.
The Nagornyy Karabakh issue will not be resolved if the right of
nations to self-determination is not respected, Oskanyan said. Rupel
added that this principle as well as the principle of territorial
integrity have to be taken into account if a solution is to be reached.
Oskanyan moreover underlined that there is no military solution;
if there was one, it would have been found already, for Armenia won
the war for Nagornyy Karabakh twice. “It is better to focus on peace
negotiations… [ellipsis as received] than rely on the military
option.”
According to him, the fact that an oil pipeline will be built from
Azerbaijan’s Baku through Georgia and on to Turkey speaks in favour
of peace. If Azerbaijan were to opt for war, it would be in its own
interest only, he stressed.
[Passage omitted on background]
Asked about the possibility that the negotiations might stall due
to the November general election in Azerbaijan, Rupel noted that in
politics important decisions are not taken in the run-up to elections.
Meanwhile, he does not think that the planned Armenian referendum
on constitutional reform might affect the talks. “Preparatory work
can continue, but decisions will have to wait.” [Passage omitted –
already covered]