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«SOLUTION» TO THE KARABAKH CONFLICT HAS BEEN FOUND
[07:59 pm] 01 December, 2006

«THE CONFLICT CAN’T BE SETTLED WITHOUT THE
PARTICIPATION OF KARABAKH»

«The meeting has been constructive. The Presidents
have discussed issues which are by now not agreed
upon», said RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan about
the Minsk meeting of Kocharyan and Aliev.

Although the Minister did not speak about progress, he
mentioned, «The negotiations have not reached a dead
end. The Presidents will soon tell the Foreign
Ministers which issues to focus upon».

While the RA authorities kept silent, the Foreign
Minister of Azerbaijan gave an interview immediately
after the Minsk meeting and said that the position of
Azerbaijan has not been changed and they are ready to
give Karabakh the highest degree of sovereignty in
Azerbaijan. After the statement of the Azeri official
the optimism of Vardan Oskanyan was a bit troubling.

Referring to the statement of Elmar Mammadyarov that
there is only one issue left to agree upon, Mr.
Oskanyan said, «The position of the Armenian side has
not changed either. There is only one way to put
together the two contradicting principles – the
territorial integrity and right of self-determination
of nations. As the idea of a referendum has been
mentioned in this document, we think that the people
of Nagorno Karabakh can be given a chance to make
their choice – territorial integrity of Azerbaijan or
their self-determination. This is the only solution
and fortunately the elements of this solution have
been included in the document».

Mr. Oskanyan did not confirm the statement of Ilham
Aliev that the negotiations have entered the final
phase. «If we are in the final phase, then Karabakh
must join the negotiations. It is impossible to settle
the conflict without the participation of Karabakh».
The Foreign Minister claimed that the announcements by
Azerbaijan that a decision has been made to give the
seven liberated territories, do not correspond to
reality.