U.S. OFFICIAL CITES PROGRESS IN ARMENIA-AZERBAIJAN TALKS OVER KARABAKH
ARMENPRESS
Jun 01 2007
WASHINGTON, JUNE 1, ARMENPRESS: After more than a decade of efforts
by international mediators to broker a deal on the territory of
Nagorno-Karabakh, the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents are
close to solving most remaining obstacles to an agreement on basic
principles, Matthew Bryza, U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state
and a cochairman in the OSCE Minsk group was quoted by news agencies
as saying.
President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan and Armenian President Robert
Kocharian are expected to focus on the sticking points during talks
in St. Petersburg, Russia, on June 9.
"If the St. Petersburg meeting is successful, then the number of
differences remaining on basic principles could be reduced to close
to zero," Bryza told The Associated Press.
"The leadership of Armenia and Azerbaijan should be lauded for their
courage in trying to bring stability and prosperity to their peoples,"
he said.
In a related news an Azerbaijani parliament member said the June 9
meeting of presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan may become a crucial
one for resolution of the long-running Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Aidin Mirzazade, who is also a political analyst, said both presidents
have good chances to narrow their differences over a settlement option.
"If their approaches towards the solution go on with the same pace and
tempo, we shall see very soon a draft peace agreement and societies
in both countries will be able to discuss it," he was quoted by
Azerbaijani Trend news agency as saying.
He was also quoted as saying that the latest developments give ample
grounds for saying that the final agreement is within sight.