Azerbaijan News Service
April 16 2005

FOLLOWING MEETING OF FA OF AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA SCHEDULED IN
FRANKFURT
2005-04-16 09:53

Armenian and Azerbaijani FA ministers met with co-chairmen of OSCE
Minsk group separately in London. Co-chairmen first met with Armenian
minister. Vardan Oskanyan, FA minister of Armenia said in his
interview to `Radio of Liberty’ he considered these talks as a next
stage of Prague process and said the sides held consultations during
negotiations. Refusing to reveal details of the meeting, Vardan
Oskanyan said the talks were about just general issues. He also
refused to answer the question about any new peace proposals from
OSCE co-chairmen during the meeting. Armenian FA minister said
information in press on new peace proposal from OSCE co-chairmen is
exaggerated. Yuri Merzlyakov, Steven Mann and Bernard Fassier, OSCE
co-chairmen made statement on April 15. They expressed their concern
over regular cease-fire breaches and increase in number of victims as
the result lately. It is said in the statement that the two sides
should follow the cease-fire and take some measures to stop
cease-fire breaches. Azerbaijan and Armenia should pursue balanced
policy and prepare their nations for compromises to achieve peace. It
is also noted in the statement that resumption of the conflict may
end in tragic result for the nations in the region. Another meeting
between FA ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia and OSCE co-chairmen
will be held at the end of April in Frankfurt. The main target of the
meeting is to prepare for meeting between Azerbaijani and Armenian
presidents that will be held in May.Foreign minister of Azerbaijan
Elmar Mammadyarov told in his interview with Radio Liberty that
official Baku’s position regarding release of occupied territories
and ensuring refugees return to homelands remain unchanged. Mr.
Mammadyarov added that Azerbaijan considers Armenian community in
Qarabaq as her citizens and ready to guarantee their security. `I
think Armenia must realize that it is important to release
Azerbaijan’s occupied lands and refuges return their homelands. We
understand the process is very complicated because conflict continues
more than 15 years’ says Elmar Mammadyarov. Foreign minister of
Azerbaijan says if yielding compromise means to ensure security then
official Baku recognizes Armenian community as citizens of Azerbaijan
and assures guarantee for security.