President Aliyev accuses OSCE MG of inaction

President Aliyev accused the visiting OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs of having done nothing palpable for the resolution of the Garabagh conflict in a meeting as part of their regional trip Sunday. The President said he was alarmed with the delayed solution to the dispute and stressed the necessity of joining efforts in this regard.

French co-chair Phillip de Surmaen said it was necessary to continue the negotiations on the basis of the Key West and Paris meetings. The diplomat emphasized that the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs are attempting to take steps to reach understanding between the parties. Mr. Surmaen said they had held as he believed were important meetings with Christian, Jewish and Muslim religious communities in Baku.

The US negotiator Rudolf Perina informed President Aliyev of the consultations the co-chairs had had in Lisbon. He said the political and public circles in the US, France and Russia now believe that it is right time for the resolution of the Garabagh conflict.

President Aliyev said the interests of the parties to the conflict differ so much to disagree on the solution. “We are a country that has suffered aggression, while Armenia is putting forth its ambitions, handicapping the solution process”, the Azeri President indicated. Reaffirming Azerbaijan’s adherence to a peaceful resolution of the conflict, President Aliyev said the majority of people in Azerbaijan is for a military solution, which is quite natural.*