17.07.2000, MEDIAMAX, YEREVAN. Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of Austria Benita Ferrero-Waldner is on her first visit to the region as the Chairperson-in-Office of OSCE.
In the exclusive interview to MEDIAMAX in May 2000 Mrs. Ferrero-Waldner declared that one of the new perspectives in the peace process is the readiness of the OSCE Minsk group to promote the economic rehabilitation of the region. “The economic factor of stabilisation is very important and I regard it as crucial to start international consultations right now, before a final settlement. Mobilisation of international funds will require some time anyway”, said Austrian Foreign Minister.
Mrs. Ferrero-Waldner also noted that much will depend on the further stabilisation of Armenia and on the continuation of the “fruitful dialogue between President Kocharian and President Aliyev”. Benita Ferrero-Waldner said that the dialogue between the two Presidents is “crucial and I would like to appeal to them to continue their talks. The good working relationship between the two leaders has opened a new era of the peace process”.
Commenting upon the possibility of the leader of Nagorno Karabakh Republic Arkady Ghukasian’s joining to this dialogue as the representative of the third side of the conflict, the Austrian Foreign Minister said to MEDIAMAX: “It is not up to the OSCE Chairmanship to decide who is and who isn’t participating in this dialogue”.
The Chairperson-in-Office of OSCE also noted that in her opinion criticism towards the OSCE Minsk group is not justified. She noted that “much is done by the mediators behind the curtain, as the frailness of the peace process does not allow too much publicity”.
Benita Ferrero-Waldner didn’t give a definite answer to the question whether the last proposal of the mediators with the conception of a “common state” remains still valid. “The design of a peace agreement is very open at the present stage. For this reason I am unfortunately not in the position to answer this question”, she said.
In reply to the request of MEDIAMAX to assess the role of each of the member-co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group in the issue of the Karabakh conflict settlement, and, in particular, the declaration of Mr. Vladimir Putin that Russia is ready to become the guarantor of the Karabakh conflict settlement, Mrs. Ferrero-Waldner said: “It is the joint effort that counts. What makes them strong and so important in the peace process is the fact that all three co-chair countries are pulling in one direction. Of course, the stance of the Russian Federation will further play a crucial role and I welcome President Putin’s declaration: It shows a clear engagement of the Russian Federation for peace in the region”.
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