news.az, Azerbaijan
Jan 23 2010

Azerbaijan surprised at Armenia’s negativity ahead of Karabakh talks
Sat 23 January 2010 | 07:16 GMT Text size:

Elkhan Polukhov Remarks by the Armenian foreign minister yesterday
that he expects no breakthrough this year in the Karabakh talks have
prompted surprise in Baku.

"Mr Nalbandian’s statement, which at the very least contradicts
itself, causes utter bewilderment. He said not long ago that last
year’s negotiation dynamics should be maintained, and then at the
beginning of the year already concluded that there would be no
progress," Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Elkhan Polukhov
told Interfax-Azerbaijan.

"The statement causes more surprise and bewilderment because it was
made ahead of the meeting of the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia
organized with the personal involvement of the Russian president. Does
this mean that the Armenian side is drawing conclusions about a
meeting that hasn’t started yet?" Polukhov asked.

The Armenian foreign minister told a news conference yesterday that he
did not expect a breakthrough on the Karabakh settlement in 2010. "If
the Azerbaijani side demonstrates a constructive position on the
Karabakh issue, some achievements in the negotiating process are
possible. But I do not think the breakthrough will be reached in
2010," Nalbandian said.

The Armenian, Azerbaijan and Russian presidents are to meet to discuss
the conflict in the Russia’s Black Sea resort of Sochi on 25 January.

Interfax-Azerbaijan