January 11, 2005 - 19:50 AMT
SIGNING OF AGREEMENT ON DECIDING KARABAKH STATUS VIA REFERENDUM NOT RULED OUT
"According to the data the Azg newspaper possesses, it is not ruled out that Armenia and Azerbaijan may sign a transitional agreement over Nagorno Karabakh, in compliance with which the Karabakh forces will be withdrawn from some territories under their control, while in exchange Nagorno Karabakh will be conveyed for temporary governance of Armenia under the condition that in 5 or 10 years a referendum on the Nagorno Karabakh status is held," Tatul Hakobian writes in the Azg newspaper first issue this year. It should be reminded that a meeting of Armenian and Azeri Foreign Ministers will take place in Prague today. Before leaving for Prague yesterday Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian stated that "this year's talks will qualitatively differ from the first phase of the Prague meetings. We will discuss some details now." "Azg" also reminds of the December article in Le Figaro, which suggested approximately the same settlement option signed by the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Chairman. The newspaper also takes note of the lately observed trend of resolution of conflict issues via referendums. Thereupon the Azg article author reminds of the agreement over resolution of the conflict in Sudan, as well as in Cyprus and the possible repetition of the referendum scenario in Kosovo.