Azeri, Armenian presidents not to sign any documents in Kazan – minister
Azad Azarbaycan TV, Baku
24 Aug 05
[Presenter] Talks between the Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign
ministers on the Nagornyy Karabakh problem are now coming to an
end. The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen are attending the talks. The
ministers mainly focused on preparations for a meeting in Kazan
between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and his Armenian
counterpart, Robert Kocharyan.
[Correspondent over video of Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar
Mammadyarov] The Moscow-hosted meeting between the Armenian and
Azerbaijani foreign ministers discussed the agenda of the Kazan talks.
Before the me eting today, the ministers and the OSCE Minsk Group
co-chairmen expressed the hope that the sides will soften their
positions.
Foreign Minister Mammadyarov stated once again that Baku’s position on
the Nagornyy Karabakh problem remains unchanged. He said that the
status of Karabakh can only be resolved with respect for Azerbaijan’s
territorial integrity.
The minister added that the sides are trying to achieve some agreement
on this issue.
Mammadyarov said this is the first time the talks also discussed a
referendum on the status of Nagornyy Karabakh, Armenian [as heard,
actually Russian] news agency Regnum said. The shape or form of the
referendum was another topic of the discussion.
The minister expressed the hope that the talks would continue within
the framework of the Prague process and stressed that it is not worth
expecting a sensational result from the presidents’ meeting in
Kazan. He said that no document would be signed as a result of the
meeting.
[Passage omitted: reported details]