KARABAKH CONFLICT PARTIES SHOULD NOT WAIT FOR OSCE MG NEW PROPOSALS

PanARMENIAN.Net - Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group for settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict Steven Mann (US), Bernard Fassier (France) and Yuri Merzlyakov (Russia) had a 4-hour conversation with NK President Arkady Ghukasyan in the Nagorno Karabakh capital of Stepanakert July 13. During the break the mediators answered questions of journalists. When answering one on the mediators' proposals Y. Merzlyakov said the parties should not wait for the Co-Chairs making new proposals, underscoring that before the Warsaw meeting certain proposals were made and these are now discussed. When asked the question whether there are "promising moments and positive trends available," the Russian Co-Chair diplomatically answered that if the parties make statements on it, the mediators are ready to agree with it. "Co-Chairs' opinion like that is based on statements the parties made themselves after the meetings of the Presidents and FMs of Armenia and Azerbaijan. As of the agreement on settlement of the Karabakh conflict, the parties are still very far from it," Y. Merzlyakov said. In his turn S. Mann remarked that it is evident that the parties have not reached accord on many aspects. "There are many difficulties, however the spirit of the talks itself is important," the US Co-Chair emphasized. Respecting the principle of confidentiality of the talks the Co-Chairs refrained from comments on the options of determination of the NK status, specifically by means of a referendum. The mediators had a shared opinion that the conversation with the NKR President was "very constructive and interesting." "Our goal was to get Arkady Ghukasyan's answers to a number of issues, appeared in the course of the settlement process, share our ideas and stands," Y. Merzlyakov said. This morning the OSCE MG mediators left for Yerevan, Regnum news agency reported.