Russia, Moscow, 28 March / Trend corr. R.Agayev / Official Yerevan hopes that the next meeting between the Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents will be held within the framework of NATO summit in Bucharest from 2 to 4 April. "We hope and will possible the meeting between the Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents," Vardan Oskanian, the Armenian Foreign Minister, stated in Moscow on 28 March.
Armenia express readiness to continue the negotiations on the ground of existing document, Oskanian said.
Novruz Mammadov, the Head of International Relations Department of Azerbaijani President's Office, stated to Trend that if OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs to propose to meet with Armenian President and Azerbaijani President to take part in NATO summit, then the Azerbaijani President may consider this issue. Matthew Bryza, the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair on Regulation Armenia-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, stated in his interview to Trend and expressed doubt on possible meeting of Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents in Bucharest. Bryza stated that the Armenian President Robert Kocharian will not participate in the summit in Bucharest, and the new elected President Serzh Sargsyan will come to force after 9 April.
The conflict between the two countries of the South Caucasus began in 1988 due to Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Since 1992, Armenian Armed Forces have occupied 20% of Azerbaijan including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven surrounding districts. In 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which time the active hostilities ended. The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia, France, and the US) are currently holding peaceful negotiations.