Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS General Newswire
March 22, 2006 Wednesday 7:50 PM MSK

Chances for Karabakh settlement decreasing – Oskanian

YEREVAN March 22

The prospects for a peaceful settlement in the dispute over
Nagorno-Karabakh have decreased after Armenian-Azeri negotiations
were held in Rambouillet in February, Armenian Foreign Minister
Vardan Oskanian told Interfax on Wednesday.

“As of now it is difficult to say whether any agreement on Karabakh,
even a framework document, will be formulated in 2006. Such a result
is desirable, however, it is difficult to forecast anything,” he
said.

“Armenia has made a lot of compromises and we expect Azerbaijan to do
likewise,” the minister said.

“The Russian, French and U.S. co-chairmen of the Organization for
Security and Co-operation in Europe’s (OSCE) Minsk Group have yet to
decide on the future of the Karabakh negotiations,” he said.

“Either international mediators will decide to visit the Karabakh
conflict zone or will organize another meeting of the Armenian and
Azeri foreign ministers,” he said.

The Rambouillet negotiations took place in France on February 10 –
11.