OSCE CHAIRPERSON-IN-OFFICE: “WE DON’T WANT TO IMPOSE THE SETTLEMENT OF THE KARABAKH CONFLICT, THE COMPROMISE RESOLUTION SHOULD BE FOUND BY PRESIDENTS KOCHARIAN AND ALIYEV

17.07.2000, MEDIAMAX, YEREVAN. Today a very convenient moment for the settlement of the Karabakh issue has come, stated today the Chairperson-in-Office of the OSCE, Austrian Foreign Minister Benita Ferrero-Waldner at the press conference in Yerevan.
At the same time Ms. Ferrero-Waldner noted that it is still early to speak whether it will be possible to settle the conflict in 2000. The Austrian Foreign Minister stated that at today’s meeting the president of Armenia Robert Kocharian “demonstrated political will toward the settlement of the conflict”. “I hope to see such demonstration of political will of the president of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev”, said Ferrero-Waldner, who leaves this evening for Baku.
The Chairperson-in-Office of the OSCE noted that during their direct contacts the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan “coordinated a number of elements”, however she refused to name them, referring to the confidentiality of the negotiations of Robert Kocharian and Heydar Aliyev.
Answering the question of MEDIAMAX, whether the co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group wait for the results of the direct negotiations of the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan and are not going to put forth any new suggestions on the settlement of the conflict, Ms. Ferrero-Waldner noted “The co-chairmen of the Minsk Group are well informed about the course of the events and are ready to render support whenever it is necessary. But we don’t want to impose any resolution to the sides. The sides of the conflict should find a compromise settlement themselves, for the achievement of which definite political courage is necessary”. -0-