Azerbaijani MP urges discussion of Karabakh conflict at OSCE PA
By Jamila Babayeva
An Azerbaijani parliamentary urged the OSCE Special Representative for the South Caucasus to prepare an objective report on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and submit it for discussion at a session of the OSCE PA.
The issue was discussed between member of Bureau of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Azay Guliyev and Joao Soares in Lisboan on December 18.
Soares endorsed Guliyev's proposal to prepare a report on the problem and did not preclude the submission of this document for discussion at the next session of the OSCE PA.
At the meeting, Guliyev noted the importance of resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict on the basis of international agreements.
Pointing to the failure of the OSCE mediation mission in settling the conflict, he stressed that the main reason for the failure are the Minsk Group co-chair countries.
Guliyev reiterated his proposal made at the annual meeting of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly held in Istanbul in July, which called for convening the Minsk conference and revising the institute of the co-chairs, highlighting the importance of Turkey in solving the issue.
Soares expressed serious concern about the delay in settling the conflict, saying he had repeatedly visited the region during his presidency (2008-2010) in the OSCE PA and discussed this issue with the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Special Representative said the Azerbaijani side takes a more constructive position compared to the Armenian side whose position can not be stated.
Soares added that a positive attitude towards involving Turkey in solving the problem exists, and noted that the concrete steps taken in this direction can be helpful.
Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. Armenia constantly violates a ceasefire agreement signed with Azerbaijan in 1994 and refuses to implement the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.
The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the U.S., are currently holding peace negotiations.