TURKEY, AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA PLAN TO CONTINUE TRILATERAL MEETINGS
Hurriyet
HotNewsTurky.com
September 27, 2008 15:36
Turkey
Turkish, Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers held a trilateral
meeting on Friday in New York, raising the hopes for addressing the
regional problems. Before the meeting Armenian and Azerbaijani top
diplomats met to discuss the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. (UPDATED)
Armenian Foreign Ministry press-service reported Nalbandyan met his
Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar Mammedyarov Friday in New York.
OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs Matthew Bryza, Bernard Fassier and Yuri
Merzlyakov and OSCE CIO Personal Representative Envoy Andzej Kasprzyk
also attended the meeting, Arminfo News reported on Saturday.
The negotiations for settlement of Karabakh conflict on the basis of
Madrid Proposals made in 2007 were on agenda of the negotiations. The
parties confirmed the necessity of peaceful settlement of the conflict,
the report added.
Afterwards, the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan met
vis-a-vis and discussed the ways to bring the stances of the parties
closer and the possibilities of organizing a new meeting of Presidents
of Armenia and Azerbaijan.
TRILATERAL MEETING
Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said on Friday that Armenian
Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian and Azerbaijani Foreign minister
Elmar Mammadyarov suggested him to continue tripartite talks to
establish a better political dialogue and an understanding forum.
The three foreign ministers made a press release after the historical
meeting in New York.
"I met Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers today to assess
regional matters. We believe that Caucasus has a very big potential. We
also believe that we will be able to achieve success in case we
manage to restore peace and stability in the Caucasus. This will be
very good for the welfare of our peoples and at the same time will
assist regional stability and peace," Babacan was quoted as saying
by the Anatolian Agency.
"We discussed Caucasus Cooperation and Stability Platform, an
initiative suggested by Turkey, and started to negotiate some specific
regional matters during today’s meeting."
Armenian Foreign Minister Nalbandian said his country welcomed the
initiative on Caucasus Cooperation and Stability Platform suggested
by Turkey.
Referring to his meeting with Babacan that took place prior to the
tripartite meeting, Nalbandian said stability, security and cooperation
in the region lie under the idea of this Caucasus Stability and
Cooperation Platform.
He said they also discussed the steps that were and would be taken
to fully normalize bilateral relations.
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Mammadyarov in his statement said they
discussed Turkey’s suggestion for the platform and the recent ongoing
developments in the region.
Mammadyarov said everybody was aware that there were risks and
difficulties in the region. "The problems should be overcome. We
think this initiative is timely. We may establish a more understanding
regarding how to cope with the important developments in the region."
Asked when the next meeting would take place, Armenian Foreign Minister
said, "very soon".