OSCE chairman-in-office in Baku

The OSCE chairman-in-office, Romanian foreign minister Mircea Joanne, currently in Baku, met with foreign minister Vilayat Guliyev Thursday.

Min. Guliyev described the visit by the new OSCE chairman to the region as a very significant event and thanked him for resolutely attending to the Garabagh problem.

Mr. Joanne said that he had enthusiastically tackled the work because OSCE is interested in restoring peace in the region, which tremendous geo-strategic importance for Europe. The OSCE official explained his early visit to the region by the positive tendencies shaping in the Caucasus of late. Mr. Joanne said his delegation also includes OSCE envoys of Austria and Portugal, representatives of various institutions of the Organization, as well as the UNHCR.

Saying that particular attention would be paid to regional security, Mr. Joanne said the OSCE and UN intend to hold an international conference in June on control over conventional arms.

The OSCE chairman-in-office met with President Aliyev Thursday.*