MINSK GROUP TO PROPOSE KEY ELEMENTS OF CONFLICT SETTLEMENT
Azg/arm
15 July 05
It’s Too Early to Speak of Final Document
Late in the evening on July 13, the Minsk group co-chairs arrived in
capital city of Stepanakert in Nagorno Karabakh after a six months’
break. As the Russian co-chairman put it, the aim of the visit is to
find out “how the cards laid”.
The meeting with Nagorno Karabakh president Arkady Ghukasian was held
in two stages with the participation of foreign minister Arman
Melikian. Co-chairs Yuri Merzlyakov (Russia), Steven Mann (USA) and
Bernard Fassie (France) answered journalists questions after the first
part of negotiations ended.
Merzlyakov, in particular, said that the Minsk group has already
presented its suggestions and has nothing new to propose. “This is a
process of negotiations, and it should not be expected that anything
new from one of us. One has to understand that this is diplomacy. Our
proposals to Armenian and Azeri presidents at the Warsaw meeting came
not only on our behalf but also on behalf of the countries in
chair. Now, we are working over these proposals. The sides have
discussed them and arrived at certain conclusions. A task was set to
continue negotiations over those issues. If you want to know what
issues I mean then I cannot tell you. The only thing I can tell is
that they are the key elements of future resolution”, the Russian
co-chairman said.
How close are the sides to signing a document? Merzlyakov answered,
“If it is merely a document on a joint announcement by the sides, then
they are close to that. But if you mean a document on settling the
Karabakh conflict, then they are too far from it as yet because months
are needed to draw it up”.
American co-chair Steven Mann added, “There are tendencies of progress
as regards principals, but there are also aspects on which the sides
have not agreed. We think that the spirit of the talks and the
relations between the sides are positive, and it helps the process
enormously”.
French co-chair, on his part, said that this is a necessary stage of
negotiations to get ready to settle all technical and model details on
experts’ level.
To daily Azg’s question as to what the co-chairs think about a
referendum to decide the status of Nagorno Karabakh, Merzlyakov said,
“I heard only about one publication on this issue and interestingly in
Baku with a reference to an Armenian official. The co-chairs base on
the agreement of the sides over keeping the issues discussed under
wraps, and we strive to remain faithful to that agreement. If an
official leaked a word, try to find out why it happened. We cannot
answer that question”.
A few days ago the mass media voiced a settlement alternative
according to which the sides “have already agreed on many issues” and
they are working “on final points”. A high-ranking official in
diplomatic circles noted that today’s situation in the talks “reminds
the stage in Key West talks when everybody thought the agreement is
reached and the issue will be settled in near future”.
The diplomatic source stated that a referendum to be held in 10-15
years can put an end to Karabakh issue enabling the Artsakhi people to
decide their fate.
The co-chairs confessed to have good impression from Baku visit. What
are the impressions from meeting with president Arkady Ghukasian?
Merzlyakov noted that he had an interesting conversation with the
president.
We failed to find out what were the impressions from the second stage
of the talks as the journalists were warded off from the
co-chairmen. According to Azg’s information, the second part of the
meeting between the NKR president and Minsk group co-chairs was held
in informal atmosphere during which ideas and views on conflict
settlement were exchanged.
By Tatoul Hakobian in Stepanakert