OSCE Chairperson-in-Office travels to Armenia

YEREVAN, 17 July 2000 - The Chairperson-in-Office of the OSCE, Austrian Foreign Minister Benita Ferrero-Waldner, urged the leadership of Armenia to accelerate the economic reform process to help stop the trend of migration and to create prospects for a more prosperous future. She emphasised that regional economic development could only be enhanced if there was significant progress towards a political settlement over Nagorno-Karabakh.

Ms. Ferrero-Waldner voiced her confidence in the OSCE Minsk Group whose co-chairmen (from France, the Russian Federation and the United States) are working to promote a political solution to the conflict. "I call on all parties to the conflict to demonstrate real political will to negotiate and compromise in the interest of achieving a mutually acceptable and advantageous resolution, " she said. "The economic and social future of the entire region is at stake".

The Chairperson-in-Office welcomed the efforts of her Personal Representative, Ambassador Andrei Kasprzyk, in developing concrete confidence-building measures between the sides. She was pleased that as a result of her appeal to the Karabakhi leader Arkady Goukasian, the four remaining prisoners of war would be released today and transferred to Baku tomorrow. She was also encouraged that two prisoners of war held in Yerevan were also released today following her request to the Armenian President.

At a ribbon cutting ceremony marking the official opening of the OSCE Office in Yerevan, the Chairperson-in-Office reiterated the OSCE's commitment to supporting Armenia hands-on in legislative reform in the economic, human rights and constitutional sphere. In particular, Ms. Ferrero-Waldner highlighted the OSCE's mandate to co-ordinate and facilitate the work of other financial and international organizations which could provide assistance. She thanked the Government of Armenia for its excellent co-operation with the OSCE Office and its Head, Ambassador Roy Reeve. Since it began work in February, numerous joint projects have been undertaken.

The Chairperson-in-Office will proceed to Azerbaijan this evening for meetings tomorrow with the Azeri leadership.

For further information contact the Press and Public Information Section of the OSCE Secretariat, tel.: (+ 43-1) 514 36 180 or e-mail: [email protected] or the OSCE Office in Yerevan: (+374-1) 541065, e-mail: [email protected]