Co-rapporteur of OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Goran Lennmarker visiting Baku - UPDATED

02.09.08

11:36

"I have visited Azerbaijan to meet the Head of State, Speaker of the Parliament and Foreign Minister and to learn Azerbaijan’s position on the Georgian events", said Goran Lennmarker, Special Representative of OSCE Parliamentary Assembly on Nagorno Karabakh conflict, who is on a visit in Baku, APA reports.

Lenmarker said it was necessary to learn Azerbaijan’s position because it was one of the most important countries of the region. “I think cooperation in the region should be extended”.

The OSCE PA representative said Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict complicated this cooperation. “We hope the conflict will be solved soon because there is a great number of refugees and IDPs”.
He said it was early to evaluate Georgian developments and added that it needed to extend cooperation to avoid such a crisis.

Lennmarker reminded about his 2005 report on Nagorno Karabakh and said he didn’t think to make a new one. He thinks that international organizations can help to the solution to Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. "Everything depends on the two countries and their leaders”.
The OSCE PA representative said he was satisfied with the meetings between the Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders.

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10:17

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov received Goran Lennmarker, Special Representative of OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President for Nagorno Karabakh conflict on Monday. The Press Service of the Ministry told APA that guest had expressed his concern over the recent developments emerged in the South Caucasus region.

E. Mammadyarov in return noted that the conflicts were direct threat to the regional security and projects. The Minister emphasized that Azerbaijan advocated for peaceful solution of all regional problems, including Nagorno Karabakh within the principle of territorial integrity and not by use of force.

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10:00

Milli Majlis Speaker Ogtay Asadov met on Monday with Special Representative of OSCE Parliamentary Assembly on Nagorno Karabakh conflict Goran Lennmarker. Press Service of the Parliament told APA thatthe Speaker noted that OSCE Minsk Group should increase its efforts toward the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

"Support for separatism in different regions of the world and consistent policy in this field cause double standards and violation of territorial integrity of the countries."

The Speaker noted that ethnic conflicts and separatism should be evaluated in time and on site and principles of the international law should be observed. “Unfortunately we face with other realities today. Despite all these, Azerbaijan advocates the peaceful solution of all regional problems, including Nagorno Karabakh within the principle of territorial integrity and not by use of force. We express regret over the last developments in the South Caucasus and prove our position once again".

Lennmarker has especially underlined importance of his meetings in Azerbaijan. Socio-political situation in the South Caucasus, ways of solutions to the regional conflicts and other issues of mutual interest have been discussed at the meeting. Lenmarker has also met with the head of Azerbaijani delegation to OSCE PA Bahar Muradova.

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01.09.08

17:15

Milli Medjlis vice speaker Bahar Muradova and special rapporteur on Nagorno Karabakh of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Goran Lennmarker discussed the situation in the region at a meeting in Baku on Monday.

Novosti-Azerbaijan reports with reference to the press service for the parliament of Azerbaijan that the sides also discussed prospects of the negotiation process on the peaceful resolution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflicts, issues of European integration, establishment of the civil society and prospects of cooperation with the OSCE structures.

Muradova highly appreciated such visits and noted that they promote the development of bilateral relations.

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14:10

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received Goran Lennmarker, special rapporteur on Nagorno Karabakh, South Ossetia and Abkhazia of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, reports Day.Az with reference to AzerTac.

He noted that he became a witness of a great economic development in our country, especially in Baku.

The head of state noted that development processes are rapid in all spheres of Azerbaijan.

The meeting participants discussed the current state and prospects of talks on the resolution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno Karabakh.

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11:56

Lennmarker arrived in the region to prepare a report on Georgia and the established situation in the region. The report will be presented at the autumn session of the OSCE parliamentary assembly to be held in Toronto (Canada) on September 18-21.

Lennmarker is currently holding a meeting in the Milli Medjlis of Azerbaijan. The special rapporteur will meet in the parliament with chairman Oqtay Asadov, vice speaker of Milli Medjlis, head of Azerbaijani delegation in the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Bahar Muradova and head of Azerbaijani delegation to PACE, chairman of permanent commission on interparliamentary and international relations Samed Seidov.

Moreover, the agenda envisages conduction of other official meetings, including the meeting with the head of state. The meetings will discuss the established situation in the region.

In the framework of the visit Lennmarker will visit Georgia and Armenia.

/Day.Az/ APA