Russia, Moscow / corr. Trend R.Agayev / The Russian Co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, Yuri Merzlyakov, informed Trend Special Correspondent in Moscow that the next meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan, Elmar Mammadyarov and Armenia, Vardan Oskanyan, will take place on 18 April in Belgrade with the participation of the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group. He voiced his hope that the next visit of the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group to the region will take place until the next meeting of the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia at the end of May or beginning of June.
"I appreciated it very much the statement by Mammadyarov that Russia is an active participant in the negotiations process. I highly assess Mammadyarov's statement," Merzlyakov said. With regards to the prospects of the conflict settlement, Merzlyakov said that to make any forecasts is very difficult and if we put aside all objectives, presently there are possibilities to agree upon the base principles of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement. The Russian Co-chair felt that everything depends upon the political will of the conflicting sides to make really a significant step to meat each other to agree upon these principles.
According to the Russian diplomat, if this occurs, very hard work will commence to devise an agreement in which there will be problems and contradictions as well. "However, the main fact is that if we can agree upon these principles, then the key structures of the future conflict settlement will be agreed and it will provide an opportunity to our negotiators, the new Head of Armenia and Azerbaijani, not to take the same steps in the future," he said.
According to the Russian Co-chair, the elections in Armenia will not prolong this process because it will be continued at the level of Foreign Ministers. "I am asked how the death of the Prime Minister of Armenia will affect the negotiations process and I reply that it should not be affected. I think that the government is temporary and it means that the Foreign Ministers will continue working," the diplomat said.