ARMENIA PREPARED TO CONTINUE TALKS ON PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT BASED ON MADRID SUGGESTIONS: FOREIGN MINISTER

Trend News Agency
June 5 2008
Azerbaijan

Armenia is prepared to continue talks on peaceful settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict on the basis of Madrid suggestions made by
the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Edward Nalbandyan, the Foreign
Minister of Armenia, said, Novosti-Armenia reports.

"These suggestions are the result of long-term efforts of the co-chairs
and their contacts with the conflicting sides. The Madrid document
really contains several suggestions presented to the Foreign Ministers
of the two countries and we are prepared to continue the talks based
on them," Nalbandyan said to a press-conference on 4 June.

The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group presented base principles on
peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to be considered
by the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia in November 2007 in
Madrid. The co-chairs consider that the Madrid suggestions are fair
and balanced.

According to the Foreign Minister of Armenia, the existence of the
documents and formed suggestions was confirmed during the recent
press-conference in Moscow by the Foreign Minister of Sergey Lavrov
as well.

Nalbandyan said that currently the issue is not considered with
regards to preparation of new proposals by co-chairs, Armenia and
Azerbaijan. He once again assured that his country is prepared to
continue talks on the basis of the suggestions. "Azerbaijan should
be prepared for it as well," the Foreign Minister said.