OSCE MG Believes Status Should Be Decided By People of Karabakh

PanARMENIAN.Net - OSCE Minsk Group U.S. Co-chair Matthew Bryza described the meeting with Armenian President Robert Kocharian as "encouraging". "I think there is political will here definitely to keep the process going. There have been public statements that the framework and principles proposed by the Minsk Group are agreeable for Armenia," Mr Bryza said in an interview with RFE/RL. The U.S. mediator said there still remain unsettled problems referring to the Kelbajar and Lachin regions as well as the status of Nagorno Karabakh. Bryza confirmed that the mediators believe the status should be decided by the "people of Karabakh" "But the question is how do you define the people of Karabakh? And there were residents there in 1988 who wish to participate," he added in a clear reference to the region's displaced Azerbaijani minority. "All these things have still to be worked out as part of a broad package," he said. In his words, the principles that are on the table don't constitute an agreement. "They are principles, suggestions. So it's not possible for anyone to walk away from an agreement, if there isn't an agreement," said the U.S. administration official.