Which party will be the first to reject Madrid principles - Azerbaijan or Armenia?

PanARMENIAN.Net - «Rumors about NKR conflict settlement in the nearest future are based on pure assumptions since there's no concrete information as to what is awaiting us,» ARFD Hay Dat Bureau Director Kiro Manoyan told today a news conference. According to him, OSCE MG Co-Chairing states want Armenia and Azerbaijan to agree to basic principles before October 14. Updated principles are not yet available, but they will be submitted to parties late in September.



«Mediator countries wait for Armenia and Azerbaijan's positive reply, but those principles are not favorable to either of parties. Both Yerevan and Baku are reluctant to agree to Madrid Principles, but none of them wants to be the first to say "no" as that may be perceived as the country's unwillingness to compromise,» Manoyan said.



The speaker also noted that Azerbaijan has never made official statement on principles being favorable.



«Why October 14? Because mediators want to satisfy Turkey's demands, which has announced that Armenian-Turkish border will not open unless Karabakh conflict is resolved,» the speaker said, accounting the stagnant state in Armenian-Turkish rapprochement by that factor.



During the joint conference with his Serbian counterpart Boris Tadić, President Sargsyan said he'd go to Trukey to watch Armenia-Turkey return football match only in case the border is open or parties are in the run-up to lifting the blockade.



Return match between Armenian and Turkish national football teams is scheduled for October 14 in Bursa, in the football stadium after Atatürk.