Conflict can be settled in 2007; no Kosovo model to be used, top OSCE official says

"I think the conflict can be settled in 2007. I stressed in my report that there are gold opportunities for the settlement of the conflict," OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Goran Lennmarker said today at a meeting in Baku State University.

According to the PA President the existence of the conflict cannot be regarded as an abnormal case.

"During the discussions of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, I always state that such conflicts are normal in the history of Europe. Azerbaijan gained its independence in 1991, and international law recognizes its territorial integrity," Lennmarker said.

Lennmarker rules out the application of Kosovo model to Nagorno Karabakh conflict, as conflicts have quite different characters.

"Decision on the settlement of Kosovo conflict will not influence on the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict in any way. These conflicts have quite different historical backgrounds. OSCE has been dealing with the settlement of this conflict for a long time. The OSCE tries to create a mild climate for dialogue. However, the OSCE Minsk Group can not decide the way of settlement independently. We are only mediators. I feel optimistic about reaching an agreement on an option that will satisfy both parties. Parliamentary elections will be held in Armenia soon, and in this situation Armenia thinks it is difficult to take a step forward in the settlement of the conflict. But I am sure we will achieve peaceful solution of the conflict after the elections," he said.

The PA President also noted that many young Azerbaijani and Armenian soldiers are killed in the contact front line every year stressing the importance of IDPs' returning to their home lands, APA reports.