OSCE Chairman stresses importance of top-level contacts between Armenia and Azerbaijan

YEREVAN, 6 September 2005 - The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel, stressed the importance of continuous contacts between Azerbaijan and Armenia at the highest level in meetings with President Robert Kocharian and other leaders in Yerevan on Tuesday.

"There have been encouraging signs in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement process over the last few months and we see both prospects and the difficulties in the process," Minister Rupel said.

"I understand that the discussions between the leaders of the two countries have moved in a very constructive direction. I see a promising opportunity for progress and I am convinced the two parties should make full use of the opportunities to accelerate the conflict settlement process."

During his visit, Minister Rupel also met Prime Minister Andranik Margarian, Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian and representatives of NGOs. He had a separate meeting with the leader of Nagorno-Karabakh, Arkadyi Gukasian.

Minister Rupel said the OSCE welcomed close co-operation with the Armenian authorities on a number of issues, from legislative reform to the Police Assistance Programme and the project to dispose of the rocket fuel component known as "Melange."

The Chairman-in-Office was also encouraged by progress on constitutional reform in Armenia.

"The OSCE welcomes the fact that long-term work has resulted in the recent draft of constitutional amendments, which was revised based on the comments of the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe," he said.

The Chairman-in-Office stressed the need for broader public involvement in the process of constitutional reform in order to prepare for a successful referendum. He also underlined the importance of improving Armenia's electoral framework.

"The OSCE stresses that political will and implementation in good faith of the recently amended Electoral Code are the major preconditions for ensuring genuinely democratic, free and fair elections," Minister Rupel said.

During his meeting with Foreign Minister Oskanian, the Chairman-in-Office also discussed OSCE reform. "We count on Armenia's active participation in the discussion on reform of OSCE, by which we wish to strengthen its effectiveness," Minister Rupel said.