Director of the ARF bureau's Hay Dat and political affairs office believes Azerbaijan’s position to be the main impediment on the way to coordinating Karabakh settlement principles.

As Kiro Manoyan told a news conference in Yerevan, Azerbaijan’s recent statements prove Baku’s attempts to avoid coordinating the basic principles.

“On the one hand, Azeri side keeps bringing up Kababakh status, yet on the other, refuses to acknowledge any other status beyond the framework of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. The mediators, in turn, are in a hurry to coordinate basic principles before elections in Armenia and Azerbaijan, as creation of a peace treaty will require much time,” he said.

According to Manoyan, OSCE MG co-chairs agree on main principles of Karabakh settlement, yet lack in leverages of pressure on Azerbaijan.

“Armenian authorities will not agree to a document unless it contains clear stipulations on Karabakh status; yet it’s equally clear Azerbaijan will not accept Karabakh’s independence. Given the situation, signing any document is unlikely until Azerbaijan alters its position,” Manoyan said.

On July 8, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov handed over a personal message and proposals of RF President Dmitry Medvedev to Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders Serzh Sargsyan and Ilham Aliyev.

At June 24 meeting in Kazan, the Presidents of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia failed to sign an agreement on basic principles of Karabakh conflict settlement.

As Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian noted later, despite the OSCE MG co-chairs’ efforts, Azerbaijan was not ready to accept the final version of basic principles, presenting ten new amendments at the last moment.