According to APA, he stated that, he will start visiting the Southern Caucasus countries on 24 January. Karel De Gucht said he hopes that a peace agreement will be achieved between Azerbaijan and Armenia in 2006: “There is a favorable opportunity for the talks on the Nagorno Karabakh after the elections conducted in Azerbaijan and Armenia last year. The glimmers for achieving a peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia have appeared for the first time after a long break”.

OSCE chairman underlined that this deal might be achieved in the meeting of the Presidents of the two countries due in February: “The agreement might be implemented after 2006”.

Karel De Gucht said that OSCE is ready to send a peacekeeping mission to the region after the agreement: “It is up to the sides to determine whether the mission will be peacekeeping forces or observers. If the Presidents reach a consensus OSCE is ready to fulfill its mission”. He also added that, he doesn’t consider it difficult to determine a country that indents to fulfill peacekeeping mission in Nagorno Karabakh.