VISIT OF OSCE MINSK GROUP NEW RUSSIAN CO-CHAIR TO STEPANAKERT EVIDENCES NAGORNO KARABAKH CONSIDERED PARTY TO CONFLICT

The fact that the new Russian co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group (MG) has arrived in Stepanakert evidences that Nagorno Karabakh is fully considered as a party to conflict and a factor that cannot be ignored. Nagorno Karabakh Republic president Arkady Ghukasian said upon the completion of a meeting with MG co-chair Yuri Merzlyakov. A. Ghukasian said he was confident that in case the settlement process within the framework of the Minsk Group is resumed, Nagorno Karabakh would participate in the talks as a valuable party, which is necessary for the final settlement of the conflict. Answering the question on possibility of using of a certain settlement model for the Karabakh conflict, specifically the Kosovo model, Ghukasian noted, “We do not consider any models now.” In his words, the Karabakh party has certain arrangements within the Minsk process and meetings of the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan, and it also has its own proposals to be made.