Bryza lifts veil of secrecy from coordinated principles on KarabakhJune 1, 2007 - 16:33 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenia and Azerbaijan have made substantial progress toward a settlement on control of a disputed territory, Matthew Bryza, the chief U.S. mediator in the talks said. After more than a decade of efforts by international mediators to broker a deal on the territory of Nagorno Karabakh, the Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents are close to solving most remaining obstacles to an agreement on basic principles, according to him.President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan and Armenian President Robert Kocharian are expected to focus on the sticking points during talks in St. Petersburg, Russia, on June 9. "If the St. Petersburg meeting is successful, then the number of differences remaining on basic principles could be reduced to close to zero," Bryza said. Diplomats from the OSCE Minsk Group of mediators from Russia, France and the United States have in the past expressed optimism toward breakthroughs on the difficult dispute only to see negotiations turn backward. Bryza would not identify the unresolved issues, but he outlined some of the basic principles already reached for a potential resolution. The two sides have agreed on the return of districts surrounding Nagorno Karabakh that are also under ethnic Armenian control. Bryza would not say whether there is an agreement on the return of refugees to the region or on any compensation for those who fled the territory. Bryza praised the two sides for making progress on an issue that stirs passions within both countries. "The leadership of Armenia and Azerbaijan should be lauded for their courage in trying to bring stability and prosperity to their peoples," he said, The Associated Press reports. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Court in Azerbaijan extends former Karabakh leader’s arrest by 5 months The Binagadi District Court in Azerbaijan has granted the prosecutor’s petition to extend the arrest of Arkady Ghukasyan. Ucom General Director joins High-Tech Development Panel Discussion The discussion was titled "The Role of International Corporations and Investors as Catalysts for Development of High-Tech Ecosystem." U.S. still believes “peace is possible” between Armenia, Azerbaijan The United States continues to believe that peace is possible between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Vedant Patel says. Dozens detained as antigovernment protest continue in Armenia At least 63 people demanding Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s resignation were detained on May 14 as they blocked streets in Yerevan. |