NEWLY APPOINTED OSCE MG RUSSIAN CO-CHAIR VISITS IN AZERBAIJAN
PanARMENIAN.Net
April 20, 2010 – 16:23 AMT 11:23 GMT
The newly appointed Russian Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group,
Ambassador Igor Popov arrived in Baku on April 20, accompanied by
former Co-chair Yuri Merzlyakov, APA news agency reported.
"Currently, intensified talks are held to resolve the Karabakh
conflict. As a Co-Chair, I will contribute to the process, taking up my
activity from the point, where my predecessor has stopped. Russia’s
stance on this conflict is known and remains unchangeable. It is
important to maintain the pace of negotiations," Amb. Popov noted.
U.S. Co-Chair, Ambassador Robert Bradtke will arrive in Azerbaijan
this afternoon, while Bernard Fassier of France will not join his
counterparts this time.
Igor Popov was born in 1954. He is a graduate of Moscow State Institute
of Foreign Relations. In 2000, he was appointed Deputy Director of the
CIS Countries First Department. He holds the rank of extraordinary
and plenipotentiary ambassador of 2nd category. On July 15, 2005,
he was appointed Russia’s Ambassador to Mozambique, under Russian
President’s decree. Since 2006, he has been Russia’s Ambassador to
the Kingdom of Swaziland concurrently.