By Armenian & Azeri Intellectuals Joint Trip OSCE Softened Failure

BY ARMENIAN AND AZERI INTELLECTUALS’ JOINT TRIP OSCE TRIED TO SOFTEN
UNSUCCESSFUL OUTCOME OF PRESIDENTS’ PETERSBURG MEETING, NKR PRESIDENT’S
ADVISER CONSIDERS

YEREVAN, JULY 4, NOYAN TAPAN. Arman Melikian, the NKR President’s
Adviser, at the July 4 press conference, stated that the last trip of
Armenian and Azeri intellectuals to Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh and
Azerbaijan was OSCE’s attempt to somehow soften the unsuccessful
outcome of the Armenian and Azeri Presidents’ Petersburg meeting.

In his words, each of the initiative’s organizers pursued his own
interests, which coincided in some things. According to A. Melikian’s
observation, for NKR, the initiative was important, as the Ambassador
of Azerbaijan to Russia met with the NKR President. "In this respect,
we can say that Azerbaijan admits the circumstance of Nagorno
Karabakh’s having legal authorities," the NKR President’s Adviser said
adding that the Azeri side understood that without negotiating with
Karabakh and receiving its consent they cannot expect any progress in
the negotiations process.

A. Melikian said that nevertheless, that initiative will not be
decisive for the future, as, judging by Azerbaijan’s position, there
are no real preconditions for that. "Maybe, there will be no need to
negotiate with Azerbaijan: we can just solve the problem through NKR’s
international recognition," he said. A. Melikian expressed confidence
that Karabakh’s independence will be recognized at last.