IGOR POPOV: OPENING OF THE STEPANAKERT AIRPORT IN THE GIVEN SITUATION MAY RAISE TENSIONS BETWEEN CONFLICTING PARTIES
arminfo
Friday, November 23, 17:20
“We think that opening of the Stepanakert Airport in the given
situation may raise tensions between the conflict parties. At the
same time, we believe that these issues should be regulated by
diplomatic efforts building on the existing experience,” Russian
Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Igor Popov said Thursday, Armenia
Liberty Radio reports.
Asked if they would like to become the first passengers, the Russian
mediator joked: “Not yet, the plane has not arrived yet.’
To recall, in their previous statement the OSCE MG Co-Chairs confirmed
that opening of the airport cannot have any impact on the status of
Nagorno Karabakh and urged the parties to act within the International
Law.
On Friday in Yerevan and on Monday in Baku the mediators will discuss
new ideas made after the Paris meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani
foreign ministers. The mediators did not unveil the ideas. “Let’s not
hurry and wait for the statement we will make after our meetings with
the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan,” Popov said.
By data of the NKR President’s Spokesman David Babayan, a new
suggestion was discussed with the MG co-chairs on Thursday. That
is, it is suggested to make the list of holidays, for instance,
Novruz Bairami, Children’s Protection Day, New Year etc, and urge
the parties no to breach the ceasefire at least on those days. US
Co-Chair Robert Bradtke told media that he had informed NKR President
Bako Sahakyan that the United States will exert genuine efforts to
achieve significant results in the peace process during Barack Obama’s
second term.