ARMENIA EXPECTS COURAGEOUS PROPOSALS FROM AZERBAIJAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.09.2007 14:31 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The visit of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs to the
region seems to be the only result of the meeting the mediators and
RA FM Vartan Oskanian held in Brussels September 4.

International mediators will visit Armenia and Azerbaijan early
next week in yet another attempt to salvage the Nagorno Karabakh
peace process

"We simply talked about how the existing disagreements can be
overcome," Vartan Oskanian told RFE/RL. "But there are no concrete
agreements. The only hope is that during their visit to the region
the mediators will reach some agreements with the leaders [of Armenia
and Azerbaijan.]"

When asked whether it means that Azerbaijan is toughening its stance
the RA FM said, "I do not want to make any assessments. Anyway,
after the Saint Petersburg presidential meeting Azerbaijan had time
to think over its positions. The fact that the meeting with the Azeri
Foreign Minister revealed nothing new can also show the line of the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement process."

Vartan Oskanian did not rule out that election campaigns in Armenia and
Azerbaijan will influence on the negotiation process. "Undoubtedly, the
presidential elections will have an impact on the Karabakh conflict
settlement process. However, if there is an opportunity we should
take it," he said.

In Oskanian’s words, further progress in the peace process hinges on
unspecified "courageous steps by Azerbaijan towards compromise." The
Azerbaijani side has taken no such steps since the Saint Petersburg
summit, he said.