19:19, 1 August 2023

STEPANAKERT, AUGUST 1, ARMENPRESS. Nagorno-Karabakh authorities have reiterated readiness to discuss reasonable proposals on organizing meetings between their representatives and the authorities of Azerbaijan, the Nagorno-Karabakh foreign ministry told ARMENPRESS.

ARMENPRESS asked the Nagorno-Karabakh foreign ministry to comment on the media reports regarding a possible meeting between representatives of Stepanakert and Baku.

"While recognising the significance of public interest in both Artsakh and Armenia regarding the possibility of initiating a dialogue between Stepanakert and Baku, we believe it would be inappropriate to comment on specific meetings, which were cancelled due to reasons not related to us. We would like to emphasise that the authorities of the Republic of Artsakh have always been open to discussing reasonable proposals aimed at facilitating dialogue between representatives of Artsakh and Azerbaijan. Moreover, Artsakh, for its part, has consistently put forward initiatives and proposals aimed at arranging meetings between representatives of Artsakh and Azerbaijan, with the involvement of mediators. We firmly believe that the success of any dialogue relies on the sincere willingness and good faith of both parties to resolve their differences. There is such willingness on our part. If the Azerbaijani side also shows it, this will pave the way for the beginning of the dialogue. At the same time, we reiterate our position that dialogue between Artsakh and Azerbaijan should take place within an agreed international format, supported by an appropriate mandate. This approach will facilitate increased engagement of the international community in the negotiation process, bolster its legitimacy and sustainability, and ensure reliable guarantees for the implementation of potential agreements between the parties," the Nagorno-Karabakh foreign ministry told ARMENPRESS.