FM doesn’t rule out possibility of another meeting b/w Presidents

Arka News Agency, Armenia
June 9 2006

ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER DOESN’T RULE OUT POSSIBILITY OF ANOTHER
MEETING BETWEEN ARMENIAN, AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENTS IN 2006

YEREVAN, June 9. /ARKA/. Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan
doesn’t rule out the possibility of another meeting between Armenian
and Azerbaijani Presidents in 2006.
`Talks at foreign ministerial level will continue for certain’,
Oskanyan said Thursday in an interview with Kentron TV channel.
In his words, one of the meetings between ministers may be held very
soon. He said OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs have already got in touch
with the sides to set a date for the meeting.
Oskanyan said he and his Azerbaijani counterpart will tray to drive
the stances taken by the sides closer to each other. If they
accomplish in doing it, then this meeting will be followed by
another.
The minister also stressed that the subjects of the negotiations,
such as Nagorno Karabakh status, territory, refugees and security
problem, remained unchanged. `These are key issues, over which the
sides’ accord is needed’, Oskanyan said in his televised interview
adding that the parties of talks have already reached accord on
60%-70% of the issues under negotiation. `Remaining 30% of
controversies remain unsettled yet, but the two countries’ presidents
are trying to reach accord also on this issues’, the minister said.
Oskanyan also said that between presidential meetings in Rambouillet
and Bucharest, Minsk Group Co-Chairs came up with a new proposal but
none of the negotiating parties found them advantageous. He thinks if
good will is displayed, then, perhaps, this proposals can become
acceptable to both sides, but after some changes. M.V. -0–