AGREEMENT ON KARABAKH MAY BE REACHED – DIPLOMAT
by Viktor Shulman

ITAR-TASS News Agency
May 24, 2006 Wednesday

There are chances to reach agreement on Nagorno-Karabakh, according
to a statement adopted by co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group on
Wednesday.

The co-chairmen made the statement on the results of their
consultations in Baku.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin said the Minsk Group
co-chairmen (Russia, France and the United States) are convinced
that the conflict “may be settled by peaceful means. Moreover, both
countries (Armenia and Azerbaijan) should prepare the public for
peace and not for war.”

The co-chairmen met Azerbaijani President Ilkham Aliyev and
Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov. “Our discussions in Baku were
constructive. Tomorrow we’ll fly to Yerevan for talks with Armenian
President Robert Kocharyan and Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanyan. We
hope for progress,” Karasin said.