ReliefWeb

The international community is not ready to grant the status of independence to Upper Garabagh despite the latter's aspirations, says the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly envoy on the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Upper Garabagh, Goran Lennmarker.

He indicated in his report that since numerous ethnic minorities live in the Caucasus, 'it is dangerous to divide the region into small independent states and this is not an alternative for settling conflicts'.

The rapporteur said the conflict is not 'frozen' due to the ongoing casualties on the frontline and the suffering of refugees and displaced persons.

He positively assessed the ongoing peace process within the mediating OSCE Minsk Group, the Council of Europe and other international organizations but called on the intermediaries to step up efforts.

Lennmarker added that both Azeri and Armenian parliament members should refrain from harsh statements.