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OSCE OFFICIAL HOPES FOR GARABAGH ACCORD IN 2007
Baku Sun, February 14, 2007
 The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly president Goran Lennmarker expects that the longstanding Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh will finally find its solution in 2007, with a high chance of striking an accord after elections in Armenia.
"I am very hopeful that the conflict will be resolved by the year-end," Lennmarker said during a visit to Baku last week.
The assembly president, who is also the rapporteur on Garabagh, said it was pivotal to reach peace between the two countries in the soonest time possible. "I believe this could be done after the parliamentary elections in Armenia in May 2007," he said, adding that the OSCE PA is against seeing any more human casualties already caused by the armed conflict.
"Now the two foreign ministers should address the issues concerning the co-existence of people in Upper Garabagh," Lennmarker told the press. "It should be taken into account that Azerbaijan and Armenia are neighboring states. I believe that both sides will therefore realize the importance of reaching peace."
Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a cease-fire in 1994, but Armenia continues to occupy Upper Garabagh and seven other Azerbaijani districts in defiance of international law. Despite numerous rounds of OSCE-brokered negotiations, peace talks have been fruitless so far and refugees remain stranded.
Commenting on allegations concerning the use of the Kosovo model in Garabagh, Lennmarker said the UN-proposed plan on the peace process in former Yugoslavia could not serve as precedent. "The developments ongoing in any country of the world should not affect it," he said addressing the Baku State University (BSU) on Friday.
Lennmarker said the two conflicts differ in essence and history, and any decision on Kosovo would have no impact on the resolution of the Garabagh problem.
He said the OSCE Minsk Group co-chaired by the United States, Russia and France has been mediating Garabagh peace talks for a long time but made it clear he wasn't content with its activity. "The co-chairmen should know that the conflict is to be settled through the efforts of the conflicting sides, while the mediators should facilitate negotiations."
US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs
Daniel Fried has also said of late that the Kosovo problem is a unique case which cannot be used as precedent for the resolution of other conflicts.
'Advanced economy'
The OSCE PA president said Azerbaijan has greatly advanced among newly independent, former Soviet republics both economically and in terms of democratic development. "I see it as a developed country," he said at the meeting with Azeri students.
Lennmarker noted that despite rapid development, major steps are yet to be taken to ensure a prosperous future for the country. "If Azerbaijan has stepped on the path of integration into Europe, it is crucial to pursue reform in a number of fields, in particular, the election system."
Lennmarker emphasized that human rights is one of the fundamental European values and the governments of all countries are faced with the daunting task of protecting them.
"In Azerbaijan, a system should be created that would rule out human rights abuses. People in democratic countries are at liberty to express their views freely, as this is one of the founding principles of democracy," the assembly president said. He noted that democratic development in the country, located in the Caspian region, meets the interests of Europe.
Lennmarker said a great brunt of responsibility in this respect rests with Azerbaijani youths, stressing the importance of awareness activities in local universities.
FOREIGN MINISTER OF AZERBAIJAN DISCUSSES NAGORNO-KARABAKH PROBLEM WITH UN SECRETARY GENERAL
JOINT STATEMENT BY THE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS
TAHIR TAGIZADEH: "UN CANNOT BE CALLED A NEW FORMAT FOR CONFLICT SETTLEMENT"
MAMMADYAROV: I'D LIKE TO BELIEVE THAT ARMENIA WILL DEMONSTRATE A POLITICAL WILL
ARMENIAN, AZERBAIJAN ENVOYS MEET OVER NAGORNO-KARABAKH
AZERBAIJAN MAY QUIT TALKS, AS ARMENIA RENEGES
PRESIDENT ILHAM ALIYEV ATTENDED COMMEMORATION CEREMONY FOR THE 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF KHOJALY GENOCIDE
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March 2007,
Issue No. 47
Previous Issues
UNDP Azerbaijan Website
Bulletin Home Page
NOVRUZ RINGING THE DOORBELL
Azernews, March 20, 2007
Aliyev congratulates nation on historic date
The Azerbaijani people celebrated national holidays in a rather low-key way during the Soviet Union times. However, after they asserted sovereignty and established an independent state upon the Soviet collapse in 1991, March 20-21 - the Novruz Bayrami (Holiday) marking the advent of spring - were officially announced holidays. President Ilham Aliyev has lately issued a decree announcing the celebration of the holiday for five days for the first time in the republic's history. Under the decision, the people of Azerbaijan will celebrate the date for a full week starting this year.
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