Nagorno-Karabakh

(Quelle: Eurasianet) As preparations reportedly begin for fresh talks on January 23 between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the breakaway territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, attention is again focusing on questions of displaced persons and borders. But lingering in this remote mountainous region is an issue that threatens to undermine any chances for peace with a particularly devastating impact: land mines. Both Armenia and Azerbaijan have indicated that mine clearance is a topic that could prolong negotiations over the status of the self-declared Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh.

(Quelle: RFE/RL) Armenia's foreign minister says he will meet with his Azerbaijani counterpart on January 23 in Moscow to renew talks on the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. Vardan Oskanian said Armenia will continue to insist on the right to self-determination for Nagorno-Karabakh.

(Quelle: Reliefweb) The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht, said today that the OSCE will not recognize the referendum on a draft constitution held in Nagorno-Karabakh on Sunday. 'Such a referendum is counter-productive to the ongoing conflict settlement process, which has recently shown visible progress, as acknowledged by the parties,' said Minister De Gucht.

(Quelle: EurasiaNet) The disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, a remote, predominantly ethnic Armenian region formerly held by Azerbaijan, gained a constitution on December 10, but the impact of the vote remains contentious. The international community, if it followed the referendum at all, criticized it as a potential threat to ongoing, delicate talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the territory. But for the separatist leadership itself, the vote was no more than a natural step in its 15-year journey toward full-fledged independence.

(Quelle: Reliefweb) Azerbaijan's breakaway region of Nagorny Karabakh overwhelmingly approved a constitution declaring itself an independent state, according to official results announced Monday. More than 98 percent of participating voters in the unrecognised republic voted 'yes' in Sunday's poll, preliminary results from the central electoral commission showed.

(Quelle: RFE / RL) In a statement today, the OSCE said that negotiations in 2006 have brought Armenia and Azerbaijan 'closer to agreement on the basic principles for the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.' The OSCE also urged the 'presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan to redouble their efforts in the coming year to finalize these basic principles as soon as possible.' The statement was less strong than earlier comments by the OSCE's chairman-in-office, Karel De Gucht.

(Quelle: RFE / RL) Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oksanian today said that Armenia and Azerbaijan are discussing terms of holding a referendum on the status of the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. Oksanian said the question of whether the region could be autonomous within Azerbaijan is an important part of the talks.

(Quelle: RFE / RL) In an address to the Azerbaijani parliament, President Aliyev affirmed on October 2 his support for the international mediation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict by the OSCE, according to Lider-TV. Aliyev said that 'we are not thinking of giving up the format of the OSCE Minsk Group,' but, referring to recent UN attention to the conflict, added that 'at the same time, we think that other organizations' participation may help resolve the issue.'

(Quelle: Reliefweb) Azerbaijan must use aggressive methods against its neighbour Armenia in order to get back the Nagorny Karabakh enclave, President Ilham Aliyev told parliament in its opening session Monday. 'Our policies must be aggressive. We must attack,' Aliyev said, adding that Azerbaijan could use economic and political pressure to force Armenia to give up control of the ethnic-Armenian enclave in Azerbaijan. … His comments come ahead of the arrival here Tuesday of the heads of the so-called Minsk Group, a tri-party committee mediating the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict.

(Quelle: RFE / RL) Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian has told RFE/RL that international mediators involved in negotiations on a Nagorno-Karabakh peace settlement believe a framework peace agreement is still possible this year. He spoke with RFE/RL's Armenian Service by telephone on September 12 after talks in Paris with the U.S., French, and Russian co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group that mediates the negotiations.