MERZLYAKOV: "YEREVAN GIVES CONSENT FOR MEETING OF ARMENIAN AND AZERI PRESIDENTS IN MINSK"
Regnum, Russia
Nov 22 2006
"The Armenian side has given its consent for a meeting of Armenian
and Azerbaijani presidents in Minsk on November 28, within frameworks
of the CIS summit," OSCE MG Co-Chair (Russia) Yuri Merzlyakov told
reporters at Zvartnots Airport (Yerevan) before leaving for Baku on
November 22. According to him, "we need to receive confirmation from
Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev as well, although earlier the
Azerbaijani foreign minister made several statements on the topic."
Speaking on absence of OSCE MG Co-Chair (USA) Matthew Bryza in the
delegation of mediators, Yuri Merzlyakov said that it was caused by
the fact that "the co-chairs agreed to divide duties, and these days
our American colleague is to meet Arkady Gukasyan, who is now in the
United States."
Speaking on outcomes of his visit to Armenia, he said his meetings
with Armenia’s President Robert Kocharyan and Foreign Minister Vardan
Oskanyan were "effective." "Generally, the year is being finished
at a quite optimistic point and if we manage to preserve this mood,
we shall enter 2007 with quite good prospects. Despite the fact that
elections generally put restraining influence upon the negation
process, we believe the achievements we managed to have this year
will allow us overcome the pre-election period easier," the Russian
OSCE MG co-chair said.