October 12, 2002 - 19:41 AMT
WAR CANNOT SOLVE KARABAKH PROBLEM, OSCE LEADERSHIP REPRESENTATIVE CONSIDERS
"I do not think that war can decide anything in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict," - personal representative of the OSCE chairman-in-office Anjey Kaspshik stated when commenting on the calls to military solution of the Armenian-Azeri conflict, which have become frequenter in Azerbaijan. In his words, a political process should be there, as well as understanding of the fact that long-lasting peace can be based only on agreements and not coercion. When asked whether he was satisfied with the OSCE Minsk group activities, A.Kaspshik answered: "I think all of them do everything that can be done in the given situation." In his words, the continuity of such peace talks and the fewness of victims during the process are evidence that the OSCE intentions are serious, as well as the conflict parties' attitude towards that international organization. Commenting on the opportunity of changing the OSCE Minsk group format A.Kaspshik said: "Firstly, changing the format would mean that the current one did not justify itself. I think it is not the case. Until now everyone - Presidents and those who directly deal with the process - assert it is the best and apt format. Secondly, consent of all process participants is necessary to change the format." A.Kaspshik stressed the importance of direct negotiations of the Armenian and Azeri Presidents and said that much time was necessary to solve such complicated and painful questions.