MATTHEW BRYZA: "AZERBAIJANI AND ARMENIAN PRESIDENTS ARE REACHING AN AGREEMENT ON THE IDEAS OF THE BASIC PRINCIPLES ON THE SETTLEMENT OF NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT"
APA
May 7 2009
Azerbaijan
Prague. Lachin Sultanova – APA. Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia
Ilham Aliyev and Serzh Sargsyan ended their meeting in Prague, APA’s
special correspondent reports from Prague.
The meeting was held in the U.S. embassy and lasted for two hours
and a half. Following the meeting, OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs briefed
media representatives.
American co-chair Matthew Bryza said the meeting was constructive.
"Negotiations were held in accordance with the basic principles of the
settlement. The presidents reached agreement to hold the next meeting
within the framework of the economic forum in St. Petersburg in June,"
he said.
Matthew Bryza regarded presidents’ agreement to meet as the improvement
of the process. American co-chair also said that the presidents were
reaching an agreement on the ideas of the basic principles on the
settlement of the conflict.
French co-chair Bernard Fassier said they expected progress in the
negotiations in the upcoming months.
Russian co-chair Yuri Merzlyakov said before St. Petersburg meeting
of the presidents, the mediators will meet with Azerbaijani and
Armenian Foreign Ministers, visit the region to arrange the meeting
of the presidents.
"The date of the visit is being specified," he said.
To the question "How can Azerbaijanis and Armenians confide in Russia
that recognized the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia?" Yuri
Merzlyakov said: "The situation is quite different. The situation in
the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh problem differs from the conflicts
you mentioned."
Asked about St. Petersburg summit, Yuri Merzlyakov said: "We have
been working on this idea for a long time. But it is very difficult
to bring together three presidents. But if there is an opportunity to
bring together the presidents of three co-chairing countries within the
framework of a meeting, we will surely try to use this opportunity,"
he said.
Asked about the compromises of the parties, the co-chairs said no
one wants to compromise unless all items of the settlement are agreed.
Along with the co-chairs, Foreign Ministers and personal representative
of OSCE chairman-in-office Andrzej Kasprzyk also attended the meeting.