OSCE MEDIATORS UPBEAT ON FORTHCOMING MEETING OF ARMENIAN, AZERI LEADERS
Artur Grigoryan, Romik Khachatryan, "Aylur"

Public TV, Armenia
Nov 22 2006

[Presenter] President Robert Kocharyan received the Russian and French
co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group on 21 November. Yuriy Merzlyakov
and Bernard Fassier today met journalists at the airport before their
departure and talked about the results of the talks.

The co-chairs noted that bellicose statements had become muted recently
and explained why the US co-chairman had not arrived in Yerevan. The
co-chairs have agreed to divide their responsibilities.

[US co-chairman] Matthew Bryza is to meet the president of the Nagornyy
Karabakh republic, Arkadiy Gukasyan, who is currently in the USA.

[Correspondent] The co-chairs said the main result of their visit
was that the Armenian side had agreed to a meeting between [Armenian
President Robert] Kocharyan and [Azerbaijani President Ilham] Aliyev
in Minsk on 28 November.

[French co-chair Bernard Fassier, captioned, speaking in Russian
with Armenian voice-over] We hope very much that the Armenian and
Azerbaijani presidents will achieve a rapprochement between the two
countries’ positions on some complex issues.

[Correspondent] The co-chairs know from their own experience that
pre-election periods have limited influence on the talks.

[Russian co-chair Yuriy Merzlyakov, captioned, speaking in Russian
with Armenian voice-over] I do not think that the forthcoming elections
in Armenia will be an exception. The foundations we managed to create
this year will allow for smooth negotiations before the election and
during the election period.

[Correspondent] The mediators are leaving Yerevan for Baku to get
the Azerbaijani side’s agreement to the meeting.