18 December 2003, 16:27
Discord among co-chairmen of OSCE Minsk Group on Karabakh
The pro-government Azat Artsakh newspaper published the articled in which it reported on contradictions between co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group on the Karabakh settlement. The newspaper refers to the interview of French Co-Chairman of the Group Henry Jacolin with the Express newspaper published in Baku. Mr. Jacolin told in it he believed it was unreasonable to engage the Karabakh party in negotiations. The French diplomat motivated his opinion by saying the positions of Armenia and Karabakh did not differ and President of Armenia Robert Kocharian is of Karabakh origin. Then Azat Artsakh cites the words Russian Co-Chairman Yuri Merzlyakov has said the other day in Stepanakert. He is quoted as saying, "Nagorny Karabakh is a party in the conflict, and nobody denies it." The Azat Artsakh newspaper arrives at the conclusion that there is noticeable discord in the positions of OSCE Minsk Group member countries (Russia, the U.S., and France). Azat Artsakh reminds Henry Jacolin that the cease-fire agreement in May 1994 was signed by three parties: Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the Republic of Nagorny Karabakh. Moreover, the Budapest Summit also defined three parties in the negotiations: Baku, Yerevan, and Stepanakert.
Editors note: See also the article "Regional visit of OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen is over".
Author: Naira Ayrumian, CK correspondent Source: Caucasian Knot
