US DIPLOMAT: OSCE MINSK GROUP CLOSE TO COMPROMISE ON SETTLEMENT OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT
Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
July 31 2007
The co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group are close to a compromise
settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the US Co-chairman of the
Minsk Group, the US Deputy Secretary of State, Mathew Bryza, reported
in Yerevan during his meeting with the Armenian Parliament Speaker,
Tigran Torosyan.
Speaking on the conflict Bryza focused on three principles of the
Conclusion Statement in Helsinki – territorial integrity, free
self-determination of the people and the search for compromising
options to settle the conflict without resorting to military
operations.
"The co-chairmen of the Minsk Group are close to a compromise
settlement where all three principles of Helsinki are reflected,"
Bryza said to ARKA agency.
According to him, basic principles should be used with the settlement
of any conflict. However, he believes it illogical to follow the
Kosovo precedent.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
due to the territorial claims of Armenia to Azerbaijan. Armenia
has occupied 20% of the Azerbaijani lands including Nagorno-Karabakh
region and seven nearby regions. Since 1992 to the present time, these
territories have been under the occupation of the Armenian Forces. In
1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a cease-fire agreement which put
an end to active hostilities. The Co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group
(Russia, France and USA) are presently holding peaceful negotiations.