AZERBAIJANI, ARMENIAN PRESIDENTS MAY MEET IN LATE JANUARY: OSCE MG RUSSIAN CO-CHAIR

Trend News Agency
Jan 19 2009
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, Baku, Jan. 19 /Trend News, E.Tariverdiyeva/ As a result
of their meeting with Azerbaijani President, the OSCE Minsk Group
co-chairs received an initial consent to meet with his Armenian
counterpart beyond the Davos forum.

"The most likely date of the meeting between the Presidents is the
midday of Jan. 28," OSCE MG Russian co-chair Yuri Merzlyakov said to
journalists on Jan. 19.

"When in Yerevan, we expect to receive a relevant consent from the
Armenian side," he said.

According to the Russian diplomat, the basic principles are still
of current importance. "If the meeting takes place, some principles
will be further specified," he said, adding that some wordings may
be changed.

On Jan. 19, the OSCE MG co-chairs met in Baku with Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliyev and Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov to
discuss the ways to settle the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed
forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including
the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts. Azerbaijan
and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of
the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. – are currently
holding the peace negotiations.