PACE President: resolution of Karabakh conflict is now closer than ever

PanARMENIAN.Net - "I wish to congratulate Presidents Aliyev and Sargsyan, and President Medvedev, who facilitated the meeting, on their commitment to finding a peaceful solution to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. The start of this dialogue, which will be followed by intensified diplomatic efforts and the promotion of a series of confidence-building measures, is a window of hope for the entire region," said the President.



"As I pointed out during my visits to Baku and Yerevan last July, our Assembly has worked relentlessly over the past 15 years to bring about a political solution to the conflict in compliance with international standards and principles and the commitments which the two states made upon joining the Council of Europe. Such a solution is now closer than ever," he added.

Following the start of dialogue aimed at finding a peaceful solution to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Lluis Maria de Puig, has urged the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan to continue down this road.



"I wish to congratulate Presidents Aliyev and Sargsyan, and President Medvedev, who facilitated the meeting, on their commitment to finding a peaceful solution to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. The start of this dialogue, which will be followed by intensified diplomatic efforts and the promotion of a series of confidence-building measures, is a window of hope for the entire region," said the President.



"As I pointed out during my visits to Baku and Yerevan last July, our Assembly has worked relentlessly over the past 15 years to bring about a political solution to the conflict in compliance with international standards and principles and the commitments which the two states made upon joining the Council of Europe. Such a solution is now closer than ever," he added.



"The Parliamentary Assembly stands ready to help the Parliaments of Armenia and Azerbaijan in all their efforts so that the process just started proves successful," he concluded.



During the November 2 meeting, the Presidents Dmitry Medvedev of Russia, Serzh Sargsyan of Armenia and Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan pledged to intensify negotiations to end the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.



The declaration envisages resolution of the conflict on the basis of principles and norms of the international law as well as agreements and documents concluded in this framework.



"The presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia decided to continue their work - including at further high-profile talks - to agree on a political settlement to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict," Medvedev said. "They instructed their foreign ministers to activate the negotiation process, in collaboration with the co-chairs of the OSCE's Minsk Group."