KARABAKH SETTLEMENT DID NOT REACH DEADLOCK

PanARMENIAN.Net - During the recent two months the negotiation process on Nagorno Karabakh has been more active than during the recent two years, OSCE Minsk Group French Co-Chair Bernard Fassier considers, Trend Azeri news agency reported. When touching upon the Warsaw meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents Mr. Fassier said that the negotiations are likely to progress. In his words, the Co-Chairs are ready to hold consultations and mediate however they are incapable to solve the problem instead of the conflicting parties. Mr. Fassier informed that efficient talks were held and further steps outlined. Thus, early June the Co-Chairs are scheduled to meet with Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian. In mid-June they will meet with the FMs of both states while at the end of the month the MG they will pay a recurrent visit to Baku, Yerevan and Stepanakert. According to Mr. Fassier the tensed schedule is the result of the Warsaw meeting. Touching upon the cease-fire violations the diplomat said that the systematic violations jeopardize the Karabakh peaceful settlement and called upon the sides to preserve the cease-fire. When commenting on accusations of MG's inability to resolve the problem in the course of 12 years Bernard Fassier said that during this period the parties themselves were unwilling to settle the conflict and they have just come to realize that it's high time for peaceful process. He also said that the statements about the failure of the peaceful negotiations are absolutely groundless. When expressing opinion on the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline he stated that it will have great importance for the region. He stressed that the states of the region wish the Armenian-Turkish and Armenian-Azeri borders be open. However it can happen in case the problem is finally settled and lasting peace achieved in the region.