ArmenPress
March 25 2004

ARMENIAN, AZERI FMs MEETING IN PRAGUE CANCELLED

BAKU, MARCH 25, ARMENPRESS: Russian co-chairman in the OSCE Minsk
group, Yuri Merzlyakov, told in an interview with an Azerbaijani ATV
channel that the planned meeting of Armenian and Azeri foreign
ministers with the group’s chairmen, scheduled for March 29 in
Prague, will not take place.
Merzlyakov explained that the meeting was cancelled at the request
of one of the sides, but did not elaborate. “Those who accuse the
Minsk group of inactivity should look at the efforts of the
conflicting sides aimed at its regulation,” he said, adding that the
confrontation can be resolved by the sides themselves, but not by
mediators.
A spokesman for Armenian foreign ministry, Hamlet Gasparian, told
Armenpress that the meeting was most likely cancelled at the request
of Azerbaijan, “as Armenia responded positively after receiving the
relevant invitation from the Minsk group.” He said no other messages
were received since from the co-chairmen.