Russian diplomat moves to raise Garabagh referendum issue
A referendum should be held to determine the status
of Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh, an Azerbaijani region currently under
Armenian occupation, the Russian mediator has said.
Yury Merzlyakov, a co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group (MG), pointed out, however, that a single model for this proposal is not ready yet. "The referendum proposal shaped up as a principle during the meetings held between the sides and the co-chairs."
Merzlyakov stressed that only one point - the participation of the Azerbaijani population ousted from Upper Garabagh during the Armenia-Azerbaijan armed conflict in the vote - has yet to be fully clarified in this regard. "We are currently working on this issue."
Bernard Fassier, the French MG co-chairman, earlier made a similar proposal. He told an international forum in Vienna that a referendum on the status of Upper Garabagh is to be held 10-15 years after the Armenia-occupied territories of Azerbaijan are freed.
Yury Merzlyakov, a co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group (MG), pointed out, however, that a single model for this proposal is not ready yet. "The referendum proposal shaped up as a principle during the meetings held between the sides and the co-chairs."
Merzlyakov stressed that only one point - the participation of the Azerbaijani population ousted from Upper Garabagh during the Armenia-Azerbaijan armed conflict in the vote - has yet to be fully clarified in this regard. "We are currently working on this issue."
Bernard Fassier, the French MG co-chairman, earlier made a similar proposal. He told an international forum in Vienna that a referendum on the status of Upper Garabagh is to be held 10-15 years after the Armenia-occupied territories of Azerbaijan are freed.