  Bako Sahakyan: attempts to recapture the past pregnant with unpredictable consequences March 29, 2010 - 12:29 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - President of the Artsakh Republic Bako Sahakyan met Sunday with Co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Ambassadors Robert Bradtke of the US, Yuri Merzlyakov of the Russian Federation and Bernard Fassier of France to discuss the current stage and prospects of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict settlement. The meeting was also attended by NKR Foreign Minister Georgy Petrosyan and Personal Representative of the OSCE CiO, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk.Reiterating that comprehensive settlement of the conflict is impossible without full-fledged participation of NKR, Mr. Sahakyan said, "Azerbaijan's destructive approach and its reluctance to take confidence-building measures appear as pivotal hindrances to the conflict settlement." He also said that independence and security of Artsakh can't be questioned and any attempt to recapture the past is pregnant with unpredictable consequences. Touching upon normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations, the President emphasized that this process is not linked to Karabakh conflict resolution.    The conflict between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan The conflict between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan broke out as result of the ethnic cleansing launched by the Azeri authorities in the final years of the Soviet Union. The Karabakh War was fought from 1991 (when the Nagorno Karabakh Republic was proclaimed) to 1994 (when a ceasefire was sealed by Armenia, NKR and Azerbaijan). Most of Nagorno Karabakh and a security zone consisting of 7 regions are now under control of NKR defense army. Armenia and Azerbaijan are holding peace talks mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group up till now. The OSCE Minsk Group The OSCE Minsk Group was created in 1992 to encourage a peaceful, negotiated resolution to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. The Minsk Group is headed by a Co-Chairmanship consisting of France, Russia and the United States. The main objectives of the Minsk Process are as follows: Providing an appropriate framework for conflict resolution in the way of assuring the negotiation process supported by the Minsk Group; Obtaining conclusion by the Parties of an agreement on the cessation of the armed conflict in order to permit the convening of the Minsk Conference; Promoting the peace process by deploying OSCE multinational peacekeeping forces.  Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads.   Partner news |  Topic Latest news Cyprus parliament honors Armenian genocide victims  Acting House President Zacharias Koulias noted that April 24 marks the “black anniversary” of the Armenian genocide.Armenia PM, France envoy discuss regional matters Issues related to the consistent development of Armenia-France cooperation were discussed.Azerbaijan razes historic Armenian church to ground Azerbaijan has demolished the historic Armenian Church of St. John the Baptist (known as Kanach Zham).Russia to begin assessing migrant workers' speaking skills Rosobrnadzor is planning to change the Russian language exam for migrant workers and include an assessment of speaking skills |
