Fri 12 March 2010 | 09:00 GMT Text size:

Bernard Fassier

"Any solution to the Karabakh conflict must ensure the intermediary status for Karabakh".

The ceasefire agreement concluded in 1994 in the Karabakh conflict area is just a temporary ceasefire and it has already been several years that Armenia, Azerbaijan and Karabakh live in conditions of “neither peace nor war”.

The statement came from OSCE Minsk Group co-chair of France, Bernard Fassier, speaking at the 73rd Rose Roth seminar of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Yerevan. “In 2009 the Minsk Group co-chairs had 6 meetings between the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan and three more meetings were held at the initiative of the Russian president. The Madrid principles are on the table and the Minsk Group co-chairing countries adhere to the principles which is proven by the Meindorf declaration and the statement of the heads of the Minsk Group co-chairing states in Aquila”, said the French mediator.

He noted that any solution to the Karabakh conflict must ensure the intermediary status for Karabakh, provide guarantees of security and return of displaced persons to Karabakh. Fassier noted that the Madrid principles envision conduction of a referendum  in Karabakh with participation of the population residing there before war, provision of a corridor between Armenia and Karabakh, return of refugees and guaranteed peace in the conflict area under support of international powers.

According to Fassier, this is a favorable period for intensification of the negotiation process. He said the  mediators met with the Azerbaijani FM in Paris and this Tuesday the Armenian FM will visit Paris to have the same meeting.

PanARMENIAN.Net