Yerevan welcomes OSCE MG Co-Chairs’ intention to further Karabakh conflict settlement

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenia welcomes the intention and consistent efforts of OSCE MG Co-Chairs, U.S., France and Russia, to assist parties to Karabakh issue in furthering conflict settlement, RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said.

Commenting on recent statement of the Presidents of the OSCE Minsk Group's Co-Chair countries, Edward Nalbandian noted, “It’s important that the statement, citing stipulations of one made at the L’Aquila Summit, once again confirms principles Armenia accepted as the basis for conflict settlement. Final status of Nagorno Karabakh should be determined through the free expression of Karabakh people’s will, which has a binding force. Here belongs recognition of Karabakh people’s right for self determination, provision of unimpeded land corridor between Armenia and Artsakh, as well as international security provisions.”

Commenting on elements of Madrid Principles mentioned in the statement, Foreign Minister noted, “2 years ago Armenia announced its acceptance of Madrid Principles as the basis for negotiations.”

As the Foreign Minister stressed, OSCE MG Co-Chairs once again emphasized the progress observed in negotiations based on 2007 Madrid Principles, specifically noting trilateral meeting in St. Petersburg where the parties agreed to continue with negotiations.

“Future will show whether Baku is ready to move forward or continue with militaristic statements, attempting to undermine the peace process through new provocations and destructive actions,” Edward Nalbandian stated, RA MFA press service reported.

Dmitry Medvedev, President of the Russian Federation, Barack Obama, President of the United States of America, and Nicolas Sarkozy, President of the French Republic issued a joint statement on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict during G8 Summit, the White House said.

The statement reads:

“We, the Presidents of the OSCE Minsk Group's Co-Chair countries, France, the Russian Federation, and the United States of America, reaffirm our commitment to support the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan as they finalize the Basic Principles for the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

We welcome as a significant step the recognition by both sides that a lasting settlement must be based upon the Helsinki Principles and the elements that we proposed in connection with our statement at the L’Aquila Summit of the Eight on July 10, 2009, relating to: the return of the occupied territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh, interim status for Nagorno-Karabakh guaranteeing security and self-governance, a corridor linking Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh; final status of Nagorno-Karabakh to be determined in the future by a legally-binding expression of will, the right of all internally-displaced persons and refugees to return, and international security guarantees, including a peacekeeping operation.

Now the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan need to take the next step and complete the work on the Basic Principles to enable the drafting of a peace agreement to begin. We instruct our Ministers and Co-Chairs to work intensively to assist the two sides to overcome their differences in preparation for a joint meeting in Almaty on the margins of OSCE Informal Ministerial.”