Karabakh conflict resolution not likely soon

PanARMENIAN.Net - The sides in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict are observing the ceasefire, an agreement not sufficient to tune the publics both in Azerbaijan and Armenia to peace, Bernard Fassier, the French Co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, told a news conference in Yerevan today.



"The parties to conflict are at the initial stage of the settlement process," he said.



According to Russian mediator Yuri Merzlyakov the borders should be defined while deciding on Karabakh's status. "There are borders of the NKAO, NKAO and Shahumyan region and, finally, the current borders. We should proceed from the reality," he said, adding that the conflict is not likely to be resolved soon.



"The Minsk Group has been working since 1992. There was a possibility to arrive at an agreement in 1997, 1998 and 2001. In 2005 we fixed the base principles. However, their coordination can take years," the Russian mediator said.



He also informed that the next meeting between the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan will take place in Helsinki during regular summit of OSCE Foreign Ministers on December 4.



"We will work for a presidential meeting but can't announce the exact date," Ambassador Merzlyakov said.