Interfax, Russia
March 11 2010

MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRMEN TO VISIT YEREVAN, STEPANAKERT, BAKU

MOSCOW March 11

The co-chairmen of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe’s Minsk Group, brokering the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement
(representatives of Russia, France and the United States) are expected
to visit Yerevan, Stepanakert and Baku in late March – early April,
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko has announced.

"In late March – early April, the co-chairmen of the Minsk Group are
expected to travel to Yerevan, Nagorno-Karabakh and Baku to try and
draw up the parties’ positions on the basic principles of settlement,"
Nesterenko said at a press briefing in Moscow on Thursday.

He said the parties in the conflict received proposals from the
brokers about two months ago on the main principles of the Nagorno-
Karabakh settlement, named "The Renewed Madrid Document."

"The mediators are studying the parties’ reaction to these proposals,"
the diplomat said. The co-chairmen of the Minsk Group last week met
with the Azeri foreign minister and they will meet with the Armenian
foreign minister next week. "As far as I know, the same issues will be
discussed during Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s visit to France,"
Nesterenko said, adding that Sargsyan had discussed the same issue
with President Dmitry Medvedev in Moscow earlier.

The brokers will travel to Yerevan, Stepanakert and Baku after all
these meetings, discussions and talks, Nesterenko said, adding that,
"the talks are well underway."