 | OSCE chairman vows new proposals for Garabagh solution |
Baku lashes out at the OSCE over solution setback in the run-up to ‘gloomy anniversary’ of the Minsk Group By Azernews Staff
Acting OSCE chairman, Portuguese foreign minister Jaime Gama, who arrived in Baku last week as part of his tour of South Caucasus countries, hinted at new proposals for a negotiated solution to the Garabagh dispute while meeting Azeri President Heydar Aliyev Thursday. But he declined to specify what these proposals were.
The statement was made in response to the Azeri President’s strong criticism of the OSCE for its failure to vindicate the anticipations of the Azeri people for achieving a break-throw in almost decade-long Azeri-Armenian peace talks over the Garabagh conflict.
President Aliyev and Mr. Gama met in one for about an hour and then the meeting was joined by other officials.
Yet, the visiting OSCE MG negotiators, in Baku last week, had nothing new to offer, but changing the format of the talks. The new format envisions involvement of the Armenian and Azeri communities of Upper Garabagh in the peace talks.
“Nothing revolutionary or dramatic should be awaited, we don’t have the ideas that could enable to resolve the conflict overnight”, According to the Russian co-chair Nikolay Gribkov.
Recalling that the OSCE Minsk Group will turn 10 this year, the President told Mr. Gama that though certain work was done the key result hasn't been achieved yet. "That is why our criticism of the OSCE is quite grounded", President Aliyev underscored.
Emotional statement
Azeri foreign minister Vilayat Guliyev seemed much more emotional than the President in a meeting with the OSCE head.
He regretted that the OSCE, an authority responsible for seeking solution to the Garabagh conflict, hadn't made palpable progress.
“The features of a different tragedy are emerging today, as the international community is attempting to confine Azerbaijan to the existing realities and more compromises”.
This is leading to tougher Armenian position in the peace talks, the Azeri minister stressed.
"In March of this year we are going to mark a gloomy jubilee, the 10th anniversary of the OSCE Minsk Group", Min. Guliyev said, adding that neither the OSCE nor other international organizations could help settle the dispute over the past ten years.
Min. Guliyev termed 'unclear' the stand of the OSCE, which, recognizing the territorial integrity of Georgia and Moldova, treats Azerbaijan in a different way. The minister hoped for more effective performance of Mr. Gama in this issue. According to V. Guliyev, the OSCE achieving positive results for the resolution of the conflict would enhance its importance for Europe.
Highly appreciating bilateral cooperation, the OSCE chairman said that Azerbaijan and the OSCE are making joint efforts to observe the supremacy of law, protect human rights and develop democracy. He stressed the OSCE is rendering sustained assistance to the activities of the OSCE Minsk Group.
Observers suppose that the Azeri minister drove at the likelihood of Azerbaijan’s de-jure loss of Garabagh, which has been already lost de-facto.
Analysts suggest that the emotional statement of the Azeri minister might have been an elaborate step coordinated with President Aliyev to engineer public outcry in a move to soften the OSCE pressure on the Azerbaijan government.
But, it is obvious that the concerns of the minister are those of the Azeri public.
During his one-day visit, Mr. Gama also met with leaders of political parties, parliament Speaker Murtuz Alasgarov, Premier Artur Rasizedeh, as well as IDPs lodged at the dormitory of the Sattarkhan Plant.
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Issue No.N 10 (244), 2002
Aliyev's Iranian visit still on agendaOSCE chairman vows new proposals for Garabagh solutionMG co-chairs offer to involve Garabagh communitiesOpposition slams OSCE offerUS Air Forces College delegation on familiarization visitNationBusinessOil & gas news
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