European official says 2013 to mark turning point in Karabakh settlement

The president of the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly expects 2013 to be a serious landmark period in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement efforts.

Jean-Claude Mignon, who is now in Baku on an official visit, has said in a recent speech that Armenia and Azerbaijan’s presidency of the CoE Committee of Ministers (2013-2014) is an excellent opportunity for taking serious steps towards reaching a solution.

Noting that the settlement of conflicts is among the Committee’s key objectives, the European official said that both countries should appreciate the moment and benefit from the period of their presidency to settle the problem.

Armenia assumed the Committee of Minister’s presidency on May 15. Azerbaijan is expected to head the Committee beginning May 2014.

Mr. Mignon noted that 2013 is a symbolic period as it marks 50 years since the signing of the Elysee Treaty, a historical accord that put an end to the Frenco-German conflict. He said Armenia and Azerbaijan can follow suit on this anniversary and reach reconciliation.

The European official, who started his visit to Baku on Sunday, added that he is personally taking steps to reach an accord between the conflicting countries. He said he periodically discusses the issue with the Armenian and Azerbaijani delegation heads at the PACE sessions and maintains contacts with the French co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group to keep up to date on the process.

After finishing his visit to Baku, the European Mignon will travel to Tbilisi, Georgia and later head to Yerevan to attend PACE Standing Committee’s permanent session (set to take place on May 31).

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict broke out in 1988 when the Armenian majority of the then autonomous region declared its intention of breaking away from Azerbaijan.

In a referendum held on December 10, 1991 (days before the collapse of the USSR), the population voted overwhelmingly in favor of independence (99.89%). The move was followed by Azerbaijan’s large-scale military operations against Nagorno-Karabakh and seven neighboring regions. The Ceasefire Agreement which went into effect in May 1994 put an end to the armed attacks in the conflict zone.

Since 1992, the OSCE Minsk Group has been spearheading the efforts towards reaching a negotiated settlement between the conflicting countries.