New proposal on Karabakh based on Cyprus blueprint – Azeri paper
Ayna, Baku
29 Jun 04
Text of X. Afqani report by Azerbaijani newspaper Ayna on 29 June
headlined “Cyprus blueprint for Karabakh” and subheaded “Turkey’s
involvement in the Nagornyy Karabakh talks agreed”
The foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Turkey met yesterday
[28 June] on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Istanbul. The
gathering was held behind closed doors.
The ministers told journalists after the meeting that they had
discussed the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict but did not disclose the
details. In their brief speeches the ministers said that both
Azerbaijan and Armenia support a greater involvement of Turkey in
resolving the conflict. The mechanism for this will be ready in one or
two months, [Azerbaijani Foreign Minister] Elmar Mammadyarov said.
In turn, [Armenian Foreign Minister] Vardan Oskanyan said that the
sides also discussed the opening of the Turkish-Armenian
border. Resolving this issue may take some time, Oskanyan said. The
foremost objective of the talks was to work out a new approach to
resolving the problem.
According to Turkish diplomatic sources, Armenia received a new
formula to settle the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict during the trilateral
meeting. The formula is similar to the blueprint for resolving the
Cyprus problem. In essence, the new proposal is to pay greater
attention to the interests of both the Armenian and Azeri communities
in Nagornyy Karabakh.
Before the trilateral meeting, [Turkish Foreign Minister] Abdullah Gul
received Oskanyan. The Turkish mass media reported that this meeting
discussed the Nagornyy Karabakh problem and relations between Turkey
and Armenia. The two countries have yet to establish diplomatic
relations.