YURI MERZLYAKOV: "WE HOPE AFTER NEGOTIATIONS IN BRUSSELS FMS WILL RECOMMEND THEIR PRESIDENTS TO HOLD MEETING"

Today, Azerbaijan
Nov 4 2006

"Azerbaijan and Armenia haven’t replied our suggestion about
presidents’ next meeting yet," Yuri Merzlyakov, OSCE Minsk Group
Russian co-chair, stated.

Asked if the agreement can be reached during Azerbaijan and Armenian
Foreign Ministers Elmar Mammadyarov and Vardan Oskanyan’s meeting to be
held in Brussels November 14, Merzlyakov said that the Ministers are
not able to make decision, they can only recommend their presidents
to hold meeting.

Asked if the sides made any amendments to the proposals put forward
by the co-rapporteurs in September, the Russian co-chair said that
said that two rounds of talks have been held since that time.

"Some amendments were made during the talks in Moscow and Paris."

Asked if the settlement will be started in case presidents agree to
the main principles, he said that after the principles are agreed
the preparation of the framework will begin.

"The realization of the principles should be presented in details
in the document. We can not expect the principles to be realized as
soon as they are agreed upon. For instance, the problem of withdrawal
of troops from occupied territories …This is the principle but
the questions "When","In what direction","How" should be reflected
in the document. Or for instance keeping peace. "How", "By whom",
"The duration period" all these details should be included in the
document. And this can not be formed in a short time."

The Russian diplomat noted that co-chairs approve the Azerbaijan and
Armenian Foreign Ministers’ meeting held October 20, APA reports.

"The beginning of the meeting was held with Andrzej Kasprzyk’s
participation, later the Ministers held private negotiations," the
diplomat said.

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