OSCE: Accord May Be Reached at Kocharian-Aliyev Meeting in FebruaryJanuary 12, 2006 - 13:23 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Signs that Armenia and Azerbaijan may settle the Nagorno Karabakh conflict have began to show for the first time during many years, the OSCE new Chairman-in-Office, Belgian FM Karel de Gucht stated during his first news conference. «I believe we have an opportunity window, as elections were held in Azerbaijan and a constitutional referendum was held in Armenia. Opportunity windows are very important in politics, we received signals from several capitals on possible settlement of the Karabakh issue,» he remarked. In Karel de Gucht's words, January 24-26 he will visit the region to arrange the meeting of the two presidents scheduled in February. «An agreement may in principle be reached exactly during the February meeting of Robert Kocharian and Ilham Aliyev, and the agreement itself may be implemented later in 2006,» he said. In the OSCE leader's words, after the agreement is reached, the OSCE is ready to dispatch observers or a peacekeeping mission to the region. «The parties themselves will decide which forces will be dispatched to the region - peacekeepers or observers. If the state leaders come to agreement, the OSCE should fulfill its commitments,» he added. Karel de Gucht did not detail the size of peacekeeping forces necessary in the conflict zone, however he remarked «it will not be difficult to find countries that wish to implement a peacekeeping mission in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict zone.», reported RFE/RL. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Pashinyan’s spokesperson denies intention to visit Baku for COP29 Pashinyan’s agenda doesn’t include a trip to Baku for the COP29 conference, his press secretary Nazeli Baghdasaryan has said. Lithuania sending €100,000 to help Armenia fight floods consequences Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan took to social media to thank his Lithuanian counterpart for the contribution. Armenia: Rescue workers restore pedestrian bridge for flood-hit community Rescue workers on Wednesday, June 5 restored a pedestrian bridge in the town of Alaverdi in Armenia’s north. Turkey condemns Uruguay’s recognition of Armenian Genocide Turkey has condemned a newly passed law in Uruguay that recognizes the Armenian Genocide, TRT reports. |