Interfax, Russia
June 11 2008

Armenia wants Nagorno Karabakh involved in settlement talks

YEREVAN June 11

Nagorno Karabakh should become a full-fledged party to the negotiating
process on the settlement of the Karabakh conflict, Armenian Foreign
Minister Edvard Nalbandian has said.

"The Nagorno Karabakh conflict should be settled on the basis of
compromise with due account to the right of the people of Nagorno
Karabakh to self-determination, and this is a key aspect of the
talks," Nalbandian said in the Armenian parliament on Wednesday.

Asked when the self-proclaimed republic is expected to join the talks
on a full scale, he said, "The sooner, the better."

He stressed that Armenia’s role in the negotiating process will not
decrease after Karabakh joins the talks.

The sides to the talks should take the opinion of Karabakh into
account, Nalbandian said.

"The co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk group for the conflict settlement
during a visit to the region are actively meeting representatives of
the authorities of Nagorno Karabakh. Before meeting the Azeri side we
also held meetings with representatives of Nagorno Karabakh because
the stance of the Karabakhi side is announced at the talks," he said.

The foreign minister also said that the co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk
group will visit the region at the end of June.