Azernews.Az

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s special representative on the Armenia-Azerbaijan Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict has said the most important issue currently is to swiftly resolve the long-standing dispute.
"We can talk about a settlement not in the near or distant future, but a speedy one," Goran Lennmarker was quoted by Panarmenian.net news portal as saying.
Lennmarker told a Rose Roth seminar of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Armenia that reaching a solution is possible because the conflict "is not frozen".
"The conflict has to be resolved not outside, but within the region. International forces could only assist the sides. The [mediating] OSCE Minsk Group is the only forum for a conflict settlement, and any given attempts aiming to shift the problem into the UN or the Council of Europe realm would merely delay a solution."
According to the OSCE PA envoy, a solution that would be acceptable for all sides involved should be found. He claimed further: "In my view, a conflict settlement is to primarily ensure the security of Armenia and the Armenian people. Azerbaijan should realize this. However, Armenia, too, should understand the situation and stance of Azerbaijan, which considers itself a victim of conflict and a defeated party."
Nonetheless, Lennmarker sees a glimmer of hope in the peace process. He reminded that the basic principles for a solution have already been developed, and very few steps remain to be taken by the sides for their acceptance. "Making political decisions and convincing the public remains in Garabagh conflict settlement."
Lennmarker said he had witnessed political will for reaching a solution in Yerevan and voiced hope that Baku would also express such readiness, Panarmenian.net reported.
The Armenian media also claimed that Lennmarker had called on Azerbaijan to scale down its military spending, maintaining that this will be part of the conflict settlement process.
"All European countries are reducing their military budgets, and, at the same time, this has to be done in the South Caucasus," Lennmarker said.
The Garabagh conflict emerged during the last few years of the Soviet Union. 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s territory, including Upper Garabagh and seven adjacent districts, has been under Armenian occupation since the two South Caucasus republics signed a cease-fire accord in 1994 following a lengthy war. The OSCE Minsk Group is brokering peace talks through a team of mediators representing the United States, Russia and France. However, negotiations have brought few tangible results so far.
The OSCE PA envoy is scheduled to arrive in Baku on Saturday with the assembly’s president, Joao Soares, as part of his visit to the region.*