Azerbaijan, Baku, 9 July/ Trend , corr E. Babayev/ Vice-speaker of the Azerbaijani parliament believes that OSCE and other international organizations are not interested in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
"While I was not taking part in the events organized by OSCE, I was hopeful that the visits of the co-chairmen to the region would yield results. As I became involved in this process I saw the attitude to this issue and I think that these visits are not of special importance and certain international circles want the conflict to continue further," Bahar Muradova, head of the Azerbaijani delegation to OSCE Parliament Assembly and vice-speaker of the parliament said while commenting on the results of OSCE Minsk Group chairmen's visit to the region in early July.
In 1992, Minsk Group was founded within OSCE by 10 states to settle the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict by peaceful means. Three states including US, Russia and France has been acting as co-chairmen of Minsk Group since 1997.
According to Muradova, she witnessed double standards in the summer session of OSCE PA held in Astana last week. "During the session I appealed OSCE Secretary General about the violations during the last presidential elections in Armenia. I asked whether discussions over post election situation in Armenia, death cases, mass arrests and other issues will be resumed. In a reply to my answer secretary general said that there were permanent representation of OSCE in Armenia and long-term observation mission was expected to be held there. He said that this mission was observing the situation and studying these issues," vice-speaker said and added that the last visit of the co-chairmen was not a turning point.
The co-chairmen visited the region at the end of June.
Theconflict between the two countries of the South Caucasus began in 1988 due to Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan lost the Nagorno-Karabakh, except of Shusha and Khojali, in December 1991. In 1992-93, Armenian Armed Forces occupied Shusha, Khojali and Nagorno-Karabakh's seven surrounding regions. In 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which time the active hostilities ended. The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia, France, and the US) are currently holding peaceful, but fruitless negotiations.
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