Mediamax, Armenia
October 27 2008

Armenian president notes "active phase" in Karabakh peace process

Yerevan, 27 October: Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan has said that
an "active phase" has started in the process of the settlement of the
Nagornyy Karabakh problem.

The head of state said this when answering questions from Armenia’s
Public TV.

"The intensification [in the peace process] is conditioned by two key
factors. First, presidential elections have been held in Armenia and
Azerbaijan. Second, events that have taken place in the region have
once again convinced everyone that there is no military solution to
the problem," the Armenian president said.

"Settlement of the Karabakh problem will be possible if Azerbaijan
recognizes the right of the people of Nagornyy Karabakh to
self-determination, if Nagornyy Karabakh has a land border with
Armenia and if international organizations and leading countries come
forward as guarantors of the security of the people of Nagornyy
Karabakh," Serzh Sargsyan said.

He stressed that the settlement process was continuing within the
framework of the OSCE Minsk Group and on the basis of Madrid proposals
made by the mediators in December 2007.

"There are no other mediators in addition to the OSCE Minsk Group
co-chair countries. Armenia has never asked other countries to
mediate," the president said. At the same time, Serzh Sargsyan said "I
am confident that Turkey can help the settlement process". He also
said that the "recent visit by the Turkish president to Yerevan and
the continuation of Armenian-Turkish talks are good examples of
tackling complicated tasks".

"I am confident that if Turkey opens the border and establishes
diplomatic ties with Armenia, it will in this way render great
assistance to the process of Karabakh settlement," the president said.

Commenting on the proposal to hold a trilateral meeting of the
Armenian, Azerbaijani and Russian presidents in Moscow, made by
Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev, Serzh Sargsyan called it "natural"
because "Russia is one of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries".