Today Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov told journalists that next year the organization of peacekeeping activities will be launched in the Karabakh conflict region in 2006. In his words, the OSCE's High-Level Planning Group (HLPG) will pay a visit to the "seized territories" in January 2006 and then will issue a notice on the possibility of the organization of peacekeeping operations in the conflict zone. The Azerbaijani FM underscored that HLPG has already visited Azerbaijan after an 8-year break to assess the situation for launching peaceful activities. In his opinion, this may be rated as an advance.

According to Mammadyarov, the coordination of peacekeeping operations is one of 9 elements discussed during the negotiation process. It is not known yet which states will participate in the peacekeeping activities and under whose mandate they will be performed, the Azerbaijani FM stated.