OSCE MG co-chair-country heads may meet shortly: U.S.co-chair

The OSCE Minsk Group co-chair-country-heads - Russia, France and the United States, to resolve the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, may meet shortly, OSCE MG Co-Chair Matthew Bryza said in Baku. Recently the U.S. co-chair together with Russian and French co-chairs held meetings with the Armenian Government related to resolution of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

"We hope that we will meet soon, but everything depends on the progress during the negotiations," Bryza said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the U.S. - are currently holding the peace negotiations.

Bryza said that the conflict may be resolved "within several months or year". "Our task is to use all diplomatic efforts, so that to reach framework agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia on the basis of main principles," Bryza added. Most depends on the political will of presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia.

There is a tangible progress after the negotiations in Yerevan. Bryza expressed a hope that the leaders of the two countries will meet in Prague on May 7, "everything depends on as far as MG co-chairs will manage to reach more progress than earlier".

/Trend News/