ArmenPress
April 20 2004

RUSSIAN MEDIATOR SAYS PRAGUE MEETING RAISES OPTIMISM

YEREVAN, APRIL 20, ARMENPRESS: Yuri Merzlyakov, the Russian
co-chairman in the OSCE Minks group, told Azerbaijani ATV that new
ideas about resolution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani opposition over
Nagorno Karabagh were put forth in a meeting in Prague between
Armenian foreign minister Vartan Oskanian and his new Azerbaijani
counterpart, Elmar Mamedyarov, mediated by the U.S., Russian and
French co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group. Describing the meeting as
“useful”, the Russian diplomat said the co-chairmen presented their
new ideas and suggestions about how to end the conflict.
He said these new ideas will be presented to Armenian and
Azerbaijani presidents, adding that the Prague meeting has brought in
some optimism about future prospects for the conflict’s resolution.
shared also by foreign ministers of the countries, who said they were
satisfied with the meeting.
Merzlyakov said the co-chairman and foreign ministers will soon
come up with a joint statement on the result of the Prague meeting.
“The new venue of the meeting can be decided only after the
presidents of the two countries are fully informed about the Prague
meeting,” Merzlyakov said.
A Baku-based 525 Gazet quoted Azeri foreign minister as saying
that the main outcome of the Prague meeting was reaching a tentative
agreement for meeting again next month. He said the meeting did not
discuss the new proposals suggested by the mediators.