ARMENIA IS HOPEFUL OF BRYZA BUT HAS NO MESSAGE FOR HIM
Lragir.am
14 July 06
Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan announced July 14 Armenia
is hopeful that during the regional visit of Mathew Bryza the future
of settlement of the Karabakh conflict will become definite to some
extent. The minister announced, nevertheless, that at the moment
it is difficult to predict the next steps in the settlement. Vardan
Oskanyan says Bryza is visiting the region in late July.
Vardan Oskanyan announced that the revelation of the details of
the talks was not unexpected because they knew the co-chairs were
considering declassification of the talks.
"In the long run, I cannot see any problems. I even think that this
enables us to start healthy public debate on these issues," says Vardan
Oskanyan. For the mood of the public opinion, Vardan Oskanyan thinks
it is normal that some people will disagree to the offered settlement,
others will accept it.
"You see, I am not making efforts and I will not make efforts to
persuade anyone, particularly the public that the principles of
this document must be accepted. Because the Azerbaijani side has
not accepted them yet. We should we persuade our public now that the
document is good, if the Azerbaijani side has not agreed yet. We are
not in that stage. When we enter this stage, when the two parties,
the three parties reach agreement, we will start persuading the public,
the political forces. We are not in this stage yet," announces Vardan
Oskanyan.
He disagrees that official Stepanakert rejects this document, which was
proposed and endorsed by Armenia. Vardan Oskanyan says the leadership
of Armenia is fully aware of the content of the talks. "I think in
the long run the principles in this document are acceptable for the
Armenian side," says Vardan Oskanyan.
The Armenian foreign minister says the Armenian party will reassert
its stance to Bryza during the American co-chair’s visit.
"We will reassert that these principles, which are not ideal for
us, they are difficult to fulfill, it is difficult to persuade the
political forces, the public, but we are ready to assume political
responsibility and continue the talks on the basis of these principles
and reach a peace settlement. We are hopeful that Mathew Bryza will
arrive from Baku with positive messages. We, however, do not have
anything new to tell him," says Vardan Oskanyan.