OSCE Chairman encouraged by signs of progress on Nagorno-Karabakh issue

BAKU, 5 September 2005 - The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel, said today in Baku that he was encouraged by the recent progress on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue reached in the course of contacts between Azerbaijan and Armenia at the highest level.

Over past months, the Co-Chairmen of the Minsk group have had a number of separate as well as some joint meetings with the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan. The last meeting of the two Presidents took place on 27 August, at the margins of the CIS Summit in Kazan, Russia.

"Resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict can be achieved only through political dialogue," said Minister Rupel. "I hope that the parties will make use of the existing window of opportunity to accelerate the conflict settlement process with the assistance of the Co-Chairs."

"I hope that everything possible will be done in order to prevent any increase of tension along the front lines," he added.

During his visit to Baku on Monday, Minister Rupel met President Ilham Aliyev, Prime Minister Arthur Rasi-Zade, the Speaker of Parliament, Murtuz Alaskarov, Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and representatives of different opposition parties and NGOs.

The OSCE Chairman-in-Office said that the parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan, scheduled for this autumn, should be conducted according to international standards: "Free and fair elections held in an orderly and peaceful manner, with the full participation of opposition parties on an equal basis, will further strengthen the Azerbaijani position on the international arena.

He called on all actors to demonstrate maximum political will to conduct the elections according to OSCE standards, pledging the continued support of the Organization in this process. An OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission will observe the entire electoral process.

"We all hope that the needed changes will be implemented prior to the elections", added Minister Rupel. He welcomed positive developments in Azerbaijan, including the establishment of public television and the free conduct of some opposition rallies in some parts of the country.

The Chairman-in-Office said the OSCE was ready to continue assisting Azerbaijan in implementing reforms in the field of anti-corruption and money-laundering, diversification of the economy, judicial reform and human rights promotion.