RUSSIAN FM: PREAMBLE OF DOCUMENT ON NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT AGREED

Trend
Jan 25 2010
Azerbaijan

Preamble of the document on basic principles for the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict settlement gained a common understanding of the parties. The
sides will develop their ideas and formulas for future rounds of
negotiations on items causing controversy, Russian Foreign Minister
Sergey Lavrov said after the trilateral meeting of leaders of Russia,
Armenia and Azerbaijan, Trend News special correspondent reported.

"The sides considered the specific proposals submitted by the OSCE
MG co-chairs," he added.

"There is a general understanding on the preamble of this document,"
Lavrov said. "Everyone considered existence of such a document useful,
as it provides an opportunity to talk not abstractly, but in relation
to the specific wording," he added.

"Today, the main result was an agreement on that despite ,there are
parts that are not subject to the consent of the parties, the sides
will prepare their specific ideas and formulas that will bem included
in the text," Lavrov said.

The Minister refused to specify the details of the document or at
least its preamble. "This is the subject of negotiations between the
parties," he explained.

Meeting of leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan lasted more than
two hours. After the conversation, which took place in ski resort
Krasnaya Polyana presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan decided to make
a few runs on skis and continue informal contacts. After the talks,
President Serzh Sargsyan concluded his visit to Russia. Medvedev met
with the Armenian leader separately in Moscow last week.

Today, Sochi hosted this year’s first meeting of the presidents of
Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia, Ilham Aliyev and Dmitry Medvedev and
Serzh Sargsyan on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Last year, the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia met six times –
in Munich, Chisinau, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Prague and Zurich. The
meetings in Moscow and St. Petersburg were held in the trilateral
format.

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.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s resolutions
on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh region and the occupied
territories.