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AZERBAIJAN READY TO CONTINUE KARABAKH TALKS
news.az
June 7 2010
Azerbaijan
Elmar Mammadyarov Azerbaijan's foreign minister, Elmar Mammadyarov,
met the OSCE mediators on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict on 4 June
in Venice.
The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs Robert Bradtke of the USA, Bernard
Fassier of France and Igor Popov of Russia and Andrzej Kasprzyk,
personal representative of the OSCE chairman-in-office, attended the
meeting, APA news agency reported.
'We discussed the possibility of holding meetings in order to move
on to the next stage in the negotiations. For our part, we are ready
for these meetings,' the Azerbaijani foreign minister told journalists.
The minister said that if the Armenian side showed a genuine desire
for progress in the talks and did not try to drag out the process,
then Azerbaijan was ready for a meeting. He hoped that the Armenian
leadership would be equally keen to make progress, which would allow
the current two years of intensive talks to continue.
'We hope that the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs will convey to the
Armenian leadership Azerbaijan's position and, if the need arises,
another meeting will be held,' Elmar Mammadyarov said.
The last meeting at the presidential level was held in Sochi in
January, the minister said, and it was suggested that a break be
taken in meetings at that level.
'After the submission of the Madrid principles in Athens [in December],
the meetings were not productive,' Mammadyarov said.
'Everyone thought that the document, which had been worked on for two
years, would create the opportunity to begin work on a basic document,
but unfortunately I have to say that there was no agreement from the
Armenian side.'
The settlement process has in recent months got bogged down in mutual
accusations between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the degree to which
each side accepts the OSCE proposals, known as the updated Madrid
principles, as a basis for negotiations. The sticking point remains
the status of Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan wants Karabakh to remain
part of Azerbaijan, while Armenia insists on the reverse.
Elmar Mammadyarov went on to say that the co-chairs had suggested
a break in the negotiations, but the break was lasting too long. 'I
understand the co-chairs desire to step up the negotiating process,
because a document is ready, prepared by the three co-chairmen,
and is on the negotiating table. Let me say once again, that this
document did not come out of the blue - it took two years to agree
it with the sides. It was not by chance that the leaders of the OSCE
Minsk Group countries stressed at the G8 summit in Italy that the six
basic principles of the document reflect the common, united position
of the co-chairs.'
He said that the Azerbaijani side had familiarized itself with the
document, which contained nothing new.
'To use football terminology, Armenia now have the ball,' Mammadyarov
said.
Armenia now has to decide its position, the minister continued. 'The
co-chairs have to convey to the Armenian side our current position.
Then the co-chairs will discuss the overall situation and it is quite
possible that they will make new proposals.'
On the possibility of Turkey's participation in the talks as a co-chair
of the Minsk Group, Mammadyarov said that Turkey had been a member
of the OSCE Minsk Group since its creation and was a member of its
permanent council, APA reported.
On relations with the USA, the minister said: 'There is no problem
in relations between Azerbaijan and the US. It is enough to see the
list of US dignitaries who have visited or will visit Azerbaijan.'
Mammadyarov said: 'Azerbaijan has agreed to the appointment of Matthew
Bryza as US ambassador to Azerbaijan. Now it is for the US to decide
and hold hearings in the Senate.'
From: A. Papazian
news.az
June 7 2010
Azerbaijan
Elmar Mammadyarov Azerbaijan's foreign minister, Elmar Mammadyarov,
met the OSCE mediators on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict on 4 June
in Venice.
The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs Robert Bradtke of the USA, Bernard
Fassier of France and Igor Popov of Russia and Andrzej Kasprzyk,
personal representative of the OSCE chairman-in-office, attended the
meeting, APA news agency reported.
'We discussed the possibility of holding meetings in order to move
on to the next stage in the negotiations. For our part, we are ready
for these meetings,' the Azerbaijani foreign minister told journalists.
The minister said that if the Armenian side showed a genuine desire
for progress in the talks and did not try to drag out the process,
then Azerbaijan was ready for a meeting. He hoped that the Armenian
leadership would be equally keen to make progress, which would allow
the current two years of intensive talks to continue.
'We hope that the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs will convey to the
Armenian leadership Azerbaijan's position and, if the need arises,
another meeting will be held,' Elmar Mammadyarov said.
The last meeting at the presidential level was held in Sochi in
January, the minister said, and it was suggested that a break be
taken in meetings at that level.
'After the submission of the Madrid principles in Athens [in December],
the meetings were not productive,' Mammadyarov said.
'Everyone thought that the document, which had been worked on for two
years, would create the opportunity to begin work on a basic document,
but unfortunately I have to say that there was no agreement from the
Armenian side.'
The settlement process has in recent months got bogged down in mutual
accusations between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the degree to which
each side accepts the OSCE proposals, known as the updated Madrid
principles, as a basis for negotiations. The sticking point remains
the status of Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan wants Karabakh to remain
part of Azerbaijan, while Armenia insists on the reverse.
Elmar Mammadyarov went on to say that the co-chairs had suggested
a break in the negotiations, but the break was lasting too long. 'I
understand the co-chairs desire to step up the negotiating process,
because a document is ready, prepared by the three co-chairmen,
and is on the negotiating table. Let me say once again, that this
document did not come out of the blue - it took two years to agree
it with the sides. It was not by chance that the leaders of the OSCE
Minsk Group countries stressed at the G8 summit in Italy that the six
basic principles of the document reflect the common, united position
of the co-chairs.'
He said that the Azerbaijani side had familiarized itself with the
document, which contained nothing new.
'To use football terminology, Armenia now have the ball,' Mammadyarov
said.
Armenia now has to decide its position, the minister continued. 'The
co-chairs have to convey to the Armenian side our current position.
Then the co-chairs will discuss the overall situation and it is quite
possible that they will make new proposals.'
On the possibility of Turkey's participation in the talks as a co-chair
of the Minsk Group, Mammadyarov said that Turkey had been a member
of the OSCE Minsk Group since its creation and was a member of its
permanent council, APA reported.
On relations with the USA, the minister said: 'There is no problem
in relations between Azerbaijan and the US. It is enough to see the
list of US dignitaries who have visited or will visit Azerbaijan.'
Mammadyarov said: 'Azerbaijan has agreed to the appointment of Matthew
Bryza as US ambassador to Azerbaijan. Now it is for the US to decide
and hold hearings in the Senate.'
From: A. Papazian