MATTHEW BRYZA: THE PRESIDENTS OF ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN MUST TAKE A HARD DECISION

armradio.am
10.07.2007 14:42

The American Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Matthew Bryza declared at
a joint briefing with the Deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Araz
Azimov that "we proceed from the desire to negotiate a compromise
between two fundamental principles which are the principles of a
state’s right to its territorial integrity and the people’s right
to self-determination."

The American diplomat noted that there is no "universal formula" or
an "accepted way" in the world for finding compromise between these
two principles.

"We are in a stage when the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan must
take serious and hard decision. The Presidents have demonstrated
political will and have brought the negotiations to a point after
which hard decisions are to be taken on the level of Presidents,"
Matthew Bryza said.

The American mediator characterized the recent joint visit of the
Armenian and Azerbaijani intellectuals to Stepanakert, Yerevan and
Baku as "a great and serious measure directed at reinforcement of
mutual trust."

Mathew Bryza noted that sometimes "people do not pay due attention
to means of reinforcement of trust." In his words, the fact that
the Governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan have managed to organize
this visit with the support of the OSCE Minsk Group and the Personal
Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office "inspires hope."