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Yuri Merzlyakov: “Participation of Nagorno Karabakh in the process of talks
might be needed”

01 April 2005 [15:24] – Today.Az

“OSCE Minsk Group has already determined some components of the regulation
of Nagorno Karabakh conflict. In the last talks this is being looked into
and the sides generally do not object the suggested plan. But enough
difference is seen in the positions of the sides of conflict within various
details”.

This was stated by the co-chairman of OSCE Minsk Group from Russia Yuri
Merzlyakov in his exclusive interview to APA.

“The sides should come to an agreement, without that the matters of
improvement in the process of talks as well as the regulation of the
conflict will not be achieved”. Merzlyakov evaluated the offers about the
participation of separatist regime activating in Nagorno Karabakh in the
process of talks.

“Once, three-sided format of the talks might be needed to be returned to.
There are some details the solutions of which are impossible without the
participation Nagorno Karabakh”. Concerning the participation of Azerbaijani
community of Nagorno Karabakh in the talks as the side, Russian diplomat
considers that, this community in the talks is represented by Azerbaijan.

Co-chairman of Minsk group also expressed his attitudes about the listening
within the regulation of Nagorno Karabakh conflict in the Parliament of
Armenia. It must be mentioned that, Minister of Defense making a speech in
the parliament Serj Sarkisyan used attitudes like “The independence of
Nagorno Karabakh is the greatest compromise that Armenia does not accept,
the next compromise will be permission for holding referendum in Nagorno
Karabakh”.

Yuri Merzlyakov stated that, such opinions do not have so great importance
for them. “We cooperate with supreme authority structures of the sides of
conflict in the matter of the regulation of conflict, the attitudes of the
presidents are important for us”. Regular violation of ceasefire in contact
line seriously worries the cochairs of OSCE Minsk Group. Y.Merzlyakov called
the application of both Azerbaijan and Armenia to UNO with the accusations
of ceasefire violation the rights of the sides and stated that possibilities
for stabilizing the situation are still present.

“The mandate of the representative of OSCE chairman Anzhei Kaspshik is not
to find out the ones violating the ceasefire, but to help the stability to
be achieved. It is not possible to hold permanent monitoring in the contact
line of forces. This may be realized by international observers. But in that
case, first of all, the sides must come to an agreement on the placing
international peace-loving forces in the contact line if one of the sides
does not let it happen, placing peace-loving forces in the front line will
be impossible”. It must be mentioned that, state leader Ilham Aliyev stated
that, whether the meeting of the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan will
happen or not, depends on the meeting of MFA leaders.

Yuri Merzlyakov stated that, co chairs of OSCE Minsk group keeps great hope
to the results of the meeting of Azerbaijan and Armenia presidents to be
held in Moscow. “Ministers can’t solve everything, some times political
decisions must be made in supreme level for moving some distance. The
purpose is that, the presidents should give impulse to the talks to be
continued, orders to ministers, direction to mediators, should show the
direction of the works to be done by us.This meeting to happen is very
important for co-chairs”.

According to Y.Merzlyakov, co chairs visited Lyublyana on March 18, met with
the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia, current chairman of OSCE Dmitri
Rupel. The meeting happened some time before visit of Rupel to South
Caucasus. “We agreed with the visit of OSCE chairman to Azerbaijan and
Armenia. We asked OSCE chairman especially to stress the importance of the
coming talks during his meeting with the presidents of Azerbaijan and
Armenia”.

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