VALDAS ADAMKUS: THE TIME HAS COME TO SPEAK ABOUT ONE COMMON FUTURE OF SOUTH CAUCASIAN AND BALTIC STATES

Noyan Tapan
Apr 25 2006

YEREVAN, APRIL 25, NOYAN TAPAN. The time has come to speak about one
common future of the South Caucasian and Baltic states. The Lithuanian
President Valdas Adamkus stated this at a press conference following a
meeting with the Armenian President and the negotiations between the
two countries’ delegations on April 25. He expressed confidence that
the so-called “3+3” format will become a reality after this meeting. In
response to a Lithuanian reporter’s question about what Lithuania can
do regarding the Karabakh conflict settlement issue, the Armenian
President Robert Kocharian in his turn pointed out the importance
of promoting the regional cooperation. “We believe that it is much
easier to reach a settlement by means of cooperation, because regional
cooperation may help create an atmosphere of mutual trust, in which
the sides may easily find solutions. In this respect, Lithuania can
make its contribution,” the Armenian President noted. Robert Kocharian
denied the idea (expressed in a Lithuanian reporter’s quesion) of an
increased pressure on Armenia concerning the establishment of closer
relations between the US and Azerbaijan and the possible military
operations against Iran. He explained that “there is no additional
pressure in connection with the regulation of the issue”, there is
a negotiation process, and the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs – the US,
France and Russia are working in a coordinated way. “The mandate
of the mediators presupposes not pressure in the settlement issue
but some steps aimed at facilitating the negotiation process,” the
Armenian President underlined. In his opinion, quaite active contacts
and process are underway, and he did not notice any connection between
the negotiation process and the problem of Iran. President Kocharian
does not take the view that an essential thing can be added to the
negotiation process, since each new initiative can in essence open
an extra way for the negotiation process and the sides to avoid many
possible solutions and not to find solutions.