Putin mediates at meeting of Azeri and Armenian leaders on Karabakh

Putin mediates at meeting of Azeri and Armenian leaders on Karabakh

RTR Russia TV, Moscow
15 Sep 04

[Presenter] A summit of the CIS leaders opens in the Kazakh capital
tomorrow. A tripartite meeting of the presidents of Russia, Azerbaijan
and Armenia, devoted to the problem of Nagornyy Karabakh, was held this
evening. Vladimir Putin said he highly appreciated the determination
of Ilham Aliyev and Robert Kocharyan to continue the dialogue on this
complex problem.

[Putin] Undoubtedly our meeting today is in line with the efforts
of the Minsk Group. It is very pleasant to note that today, before
gathering for this meeting with me, you had a dialogue with our
colleagues [the co-chairmen of the Minsk Group], jointly. I would
like to thank you for agreeing to meet in this format and to express
confidence that, no matter what we agree on today, no matter what
you agree on, I am profoundly convinced that a personal meeting of
the two leaders of the two countries is always a step forwards.

[Kocharyan] This is our third meeting. The first one was to make
acquaintances with each other. The second one got down to more specific
discussions. Between the second and third our ministers have been
working, I think, more effectively.

[Aliyev] Thank you, Vladimir Vladimirovich, for participating
in this question. Russia, as our neighbour, as co-chairman of
the Minsk Group, plays a very important role in settling the
Armenian-Azerbaijan-Nagornyy Karabakh conflict. Naturally, we are
very grateful to you for your participation, for your involvement.