SCOPE OF DIFFERENCES ON ISSUE OF KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT IS NARROWING, MATTHEW BRYZA CONVINCED
Noyan Tapan
Jun 07 2007
YEREVAN, JUNE 7, NOYAN TAPAN. We cannot say that this time we expect
a turning-point in Saint Petersburg but we hope that some qualitative
progress may be made, the U.S. co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Matthew
Bryza said at the June 7 joint conference of the Minsk Group co-chairs.
According to him, an active negotiation process is underway, and
the co-chairs see the differences between the sides but the scope of
these differences is constantly narrowing.
The Russian co-chair Yuri Merzlaykov said that after discussions with
Arkady Ghukasian it became clear again that there are some disputable
issues but at the same time there are some conditions allowing to
ensure a progress.
In the words of the French co-chair Bernard Fassier, "balanced
proposals were put before the sides on the negotiation table, and there
are hopes that something can be done based on these proposals." The
rest, according to the French diplomat, is the task of the presidents’
assessment.
As for the co-chairs’ position regarding the fact that the Armenian
side takes the view that the primary problem on which an agreement
should be reached is status of Nagorno Karabakh and the issue of
security, it was mentioned at the press conference that other issues
are being discussed in detail now and format-related and technical
issues are not under discussion currently.
In response to the question about possible recognition of Nagorno
Karabakh by the international community, Yuri Merzlyakov noted that no
country, including their countries, has recognized the independence
of Nagorno Karabakh, adding that Armenia has not recognized the
independence of Nagorno Karabakh either.