December 3, 2008 - 13:02 AMT
Bryza: no military solution to Karabakh conflict
In Helsinki, the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs hope to develop confidence-building measures that will help stabilize cooperation and reduce the risk of armed conflict, the OSCE Minsk Group's U.S. Co-chair said.

"The focus of Helsinki discussions will be the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to finalize the Basic Principles, which define a framework for a comprehensive settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict," Matthew Bryza said.

The meeting will take place prior to the OSCE Ministerial Council that will take place in Helsinki on December4-5.

"The President of Armenia insists on the concept of self-determination. The President of Azerbaijan insists on the concept of territorial integrity. Our job as mediators is to help both sides negotiate an agreement that takes all of these principles into account in a mutually agreed way," he said.

"It is a difficult task, but I am confident we can keep up this balance, provided the leaders and citizens of both societies are willing to reach a deal. We believe there is no military solution to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict," Bryza said, Trend Azeri news agency reports.