Azeri official says no common ground struck on Garabagh settlement
An Azerbaijani presidential administration official has said it was
premature to cite a common ground being struck in a settlement to
the Armenia-Azerbaijan Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict.
Ali Hasanov, the head of the Presidential Administration socio-political department, was commenting on Monday’s tripartite meeting of the Azerbaijani, Armenian and Russian presidents held in the Russian town of Sochi.
Hasanov said the sides were negotiating the proposals made by the co-chairs of the mediating OSCE Minsk Group, and the points that differences remain upon had been put on discussion in a new manner. However, no conclusions can be made about the outcomes of the discussions at this point.
"But it is a fact, in itself, that the sides and the mediators believe in the prospect of these talks and that the potential for talks has not been exhausted. This alone is grounds to continue resolving the issue by means of negotiations."
As for Russia’s recently stepping up efforts aiming to settle the long-standing dispute, Hasanov said Moscow has always been active in this regard.
"Simply, Russia has lately become more active within the OSCE Minsk Group’s institution of co-chairs. Or else, Russia has always been involved in [the settlement of] the Upper Garabagh problem in this or another form. The recent meetings held with the Russian president’s participation have led to the shaping of views about Russia’s becoming more active, though the [peace] process is ongoing the same way as before."
Hasanov noted that Russia is one of the Minsk Group co-chairs, which commands powerful levers of influence over the developments ongoing in Azerbaijan, Armenia, and overall, the South Caucasus and Caspian regions. These regions, he said, are under Russian geo-political clout, while the United States, despite being a superpower, is located very far from both the South Caucasus and Caspian regions.
Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a cease-fire in 1994, but Armenia continues to occupy Upper Garabagh and seven other Azerbaijani districts in defiance of international law. The Minsk Group, co-chaired by the United States, Russia and France, is brokering peace talks.*
Ali Hasanov, the head of the Presidential Administration socio-political department, was commenting on Monday’s tripartite meeting of the Azerbaijani, Armenian and Russian presidents held in the Russian town of Sochi.
Hasanov said the sides were negotiating the proposals made by the co-chairs of the mediating OSCE Minsk Group, and the points that differences remain upon had been put on discussion in a new manner. However, no conclusions can be made about the outcomes of the discussions at this point.
"But it is a fact, in itself, that the sides and the mediators believe in the prospect of these talks and that the potential for talks has not been exhausted. This alone is grounds to continue resolving the issue by means of negotiations."
As for Russia’s recently stepping up efforts aiming to settle the long-standing dispute, Hasanov said Moscow has always been active in this regard.
"Simply, Russia has lately become more active within the OSCE Minsk Group’s institution of co-chairs. Or else, Russia has always been involved in [the settlement of] the Upper Garabagh problem in this or another form. The recent meetings held with the Russian president’s participation have led to the shaping of views about Russia’s becoming more active, though the [peace] process is ongoing the same way as before."
Hasanov noted that Russia is one of the Minsk Group co-chairs, which commands powerful levers of influence over the developments ongoing in Azerbaijan, Armenia, and overall, the South Caucasus and Caspian regions. These regions, he said, are under Russian geo-political clout, while the United States, despite being a superpower, is located very far from both the South Caucasus and Caspian regions.
Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a cease-fire in 1994, but Armenia continues to occupy Upper Garabagh and seven other Azerbaijani districts in defiance of international law. The Minsk Group, co-chaired by the United States, Russia and France, is brokering peace talks.*
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