Yuri Merzlyakov: Armenian Side Expressed Disagreement With Some Poin

YURI MERZLYAKOV: ARMENIAN SIDE EXPRESSED DISAGREEMENT WITH SOME POINTS

Noyan Tapan
Apr 2, 2010

MOSCOW, APRIL 2, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The negotiating
process on the Nagorno Karabakh problem settlement is quite serious,
which necessitated a regional trip of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs,
the Russian Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Yuri Merzlyakov said
in Stepanakert on Sunday. Following an hour and a half meeting with
Karabakh leadership, the mediators declared that the discussion
was meaningful.

Y. Merzlyakov said the process of coming to an agreement on the
proposals made by the co-chairs in late 2009 is underway.

According to him, the Armenian side has already expressed its
disagreement with some points. "However, we do not complicate the issue
because exactly two years ago there was a similar situation with the
Madrid Priciples when the Armenian side accepted them, but not fully –
as it turns out now, whereas the Azerbaijani side did not accept so we
did a lot of work to come to a common denominator," Merzlyakov noted.

He said that on the whole, the sides have reached an agreement on
the Madrid Principles, except for 4 points.

The French co-chair Bernard Fassier underlined that the negotiations
over the Madrid Principles are still continuing, and the fact that
from time to time the sides reach an agreement on these principles
is a serious one, so there are some aspects of mutual understanding.

In response to Radio Liberty’s question about what was done by the
OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs supportive of peaceful settlement to stop
shots which have recently become frequent along the front line, B.

Fassier replied: "War cannot be an option, and we often say this
everywhere. We continue to believe that it is impossible to solve this
problem by war. If a war starts, neither the history nor geography
will change and the problem will get more complicated."

When asked if there was any progress in organizing a meeting of the
presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Astana – in connection with
the proposal of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Yuri Merzlyakov said
they were aware of that proposal, but it does not mean that they had
made the proposal and participated in it.

In his words, it was his last regional visit as Russian co-chair:
"I will get a new appointment soon, and the name of my successor will
become known in the near future".