ArmenPress
April 22 2004

KOCHARIAN MEETS GERMAN FM

YEREVAN, APRIL 22, ARMENPRESS: Armenian president Robert Kocharian
met today with members of a German delegation headed by foreign
minister Joschka Fischer, who have arrived today in Yerevan from a
trip to Afghanistan and Azerbaijan.
Kocharian was quoted by his press office as saying that he
considers the visit as a continuation of a political dialogue between
the two countries and a sign of the growing interest of Germany in
the South Caucasian region. The press office said the agenda of the
meeting included a wide range of issues on bilateral cooperation and
the region.
In a reference to the resolution of Nagorno Karabagh conflict both
sides were reported to emphasize the key importance of building a
climate of confidence between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Kocharian said
Armenia has time and again proposed various cooperation schemes,
which Armenia believes can help achieve a mutually acceptable peace
formula to end the conflict, which were all rejected by Azerbaijan.
Kocharian also spoke about the prospects for improvement of
Armenian-Turkish relations, saying that Armenia has always stood for
a normalization dialogue. without preconditions. “We have always said
that Armenia-Turkish relations should not be linked to relations with
a third country,” he said.
Fischer was quoted as saying after meeting with top Azeri
officials in Baku yesterday that “Germany is keen to see an end to
the long-running conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia over
Nagorno-Karabagh.” He added that the European Union is ready to do
everything in this regard.
Fischer will depart for neighboring Georgia today.