01.12.2000, MEDIAMAX, YEREVAN. "Our meetings are not an end in themselves, they are aimed at finding ways to settle the problem", said President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev in Minsk, commenting at the request of Mediamax upon the results of his November 30 meeting with Armenian President Robert Kocharian, which lasted 1 hour 20 minutes.
"We had a detailed and constructive meeting. We both are worried about the fact that the conflict still remains unsolved. Taking into account the short interval since our last meeting, I'm pleased with today's one. We are keeping to the same formula, based on mutual concessions. We are to find the solution to this problem ourselves, of course with the assistance and support of international mediators. We agreed to continue our meetings", H. Aliyev stressed.
Robert Kocharian also summed up the results of the meeting. "We agreed not only to continue our meetings, but to intensify them as well. Our next meeting is more likely to take place in January 2001. We'd like the year 2001 to be decisive in finding solutions to the conflict. Realization of these decisions will naturally take some time", Armenian President said.
Kocharian also said: "In 2003 presidential elections will be held both in Armenia and Azerbaijan, and pre-electoral excitement may impede finding a solution, which must undoubtedly be based on compromises. Our principle position is that the conflict should be resolved peacefully. I'm also satisfied with the meeting". -0-