Azeri & Armenian leaders determined to solve Karabakh problem-Putin
By Viktoria Sokolova

ITAR-TASS News Agency
September 15, 2004 Wednesday

ASTANA, September 15 – Russian President Vladimir Putin believes that
the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia should continue a dialogue
on Nagorno-Karabakh. “No matter what agreements you reach today,
personal meetings are always a step forward,” President Putin said on
Wednesday, opening a trilateral meeting of the presidents of Russia,
Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Putin praised Azerbaijani President Ilkham Aliev and his Armenian
counterpart Robert Kocharyan for their determination to search for a
settlement to the Karabakh problem. “I am very pleased to note that
you are going ahead with the dialogue despite the complex nature
of this problem. Preserving a high-level dialogue is important,”
the Russian president stressed.

Putin also said that he was sure that the meeting would be useful
for finding a solution to the Karabakh conflict.

The Russian leader thanked the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents
for readiness to hold Thursday’s talks. “We understand that the
expectations are great but the problem is extremely hard. I am glad
to say that you haven’t lost optimism and are still willing to solve
the problem,” Putin went on to say.

The Russian president emphasized that today’s meeting was being held
in line with the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group. The Armenian and
Azerbaijani presidents had met each other tete-a-tete prior to meeting
Putin. Earlier, they met the co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group.

“All the colleagues who take part in this process (the settlement of
the Karabakh crisis) are genuinely supporting you,” Putin emphasized.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress