YURI MERZLYAKOV: IF SAINT PETERSBURG MEETING IS FRUITFUL PRESIDENTS WILL MEET ONE MORE TIME TO AGREE BASIC PRINCIPLES

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
May 24 2007

Armenian President Robert Kocharian agreed to OSCE Minsk Group co
chairs’ offer to meet Azerbaijan president in Saint Petersburg,
Yuri Merzlyakov, Russian co chair of OSCE Minsk Group told the press
conference in Iravan on his visit, APA reports.

According to him the aim of the visit was to make presidents agree to
hold meeting in Saint Petersburg to which Robert Kocharian answered
positively. "I hope Azerbaijan president will agree too. We had
with Robert Kocharian quite successful meeting and I met Prime
Minster Serge Sarkisian. We had two meetings with Foreign minister
Vardan Oskanian in a day. We achieved progress during the meetings
in Iravan. The Working document on basic principles proposed by the
OSCE was also discussed within the visit I hope we will achieve much
progress in the process of negotiations in Baku. I am quite sure of
only one thing that there is no new principle or global proposals
on the settlement of conflict. New proposals have not been made in
the settlement of conflict and it is impossible. Basic principles
are clear and determined. These principles will be base for future
political agreement".

Yuri Merzlyakov said foreign ministries of Azerbaijan and Armenia
focus their attention on the discussion of the details of the
conflict. "We want presidents to approach the problem from global
aspect. If presidents’ meeting is fruitful there will be need only for
agreement on basic principles. I would not say that Saint Petersburg
meeting will be end of negotiations process. If we focus attention on
the results of the meeting we can see that there will be need only for
one meeting to agree basic principles. After it official agreement
will be made. We think there is 90 percent objective condition for
the settlement of problem". Bernar Fassier, French co chair of OSCE
Minsk said military solution to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict is
impossible." Both Washington and Moscow think military option on the
settlement of Karabakh conflict is impossible.

So there is no alternative to peaceful agreement. The war is not
solution. Azerbaijan and Armenian presidents should demonstrate
political will in the settlement of conflict. But we show presidents
ways of compromise. But we do not have magic stick. We are not going
to decide for them. The proposals of co chairs are significant
factor. But there is much more significant factor- sides should
demonstrate political will.

French Cochairman of OSCE Minsk Group Bernar Fassier and Yuri
Merzlyakov , Russian co chair visited Iravan yesterday within their
visit to the region. Co chairs will arrive in Azerbaijan today.