Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 22
Trend:
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov is expected to meet with the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen September 22 and with his Armenian counterpart Edward Nalbandian September 23 as part of the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly, Hikmat Hajiyev, spokesman for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry told Trend Sept. 22.
Hajiyev was commenting on Nalbandian’s statement.
“Remaining loyal to his traditions, the Armenian foreign minister said that only such issues of a protocol nature as a possible meeting of the presidents and the visit of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen to the region will be allegedly discussed at these meetings,” Hajiyev said.
“By making this groundless statement, Nalbandian puts himself in a ridiculous position again and tries to present the co-chairmen as "tourists who do not have serious negotiating capabilities" or only as "organizers of events",” he said.
Hajiyev stressed that the goal of the co-chairmen, having a busy work schedule, is not to discuss protocol or technical issues during the visit to the US.
"US former co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group Richard Hoagland brought to the attention of the general public the plan and principles for the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,” he said.
“Armenia, represented by its Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, tries to evade that vainly,” he said. “As opposed to Nalbandian, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov will hold serious and substantive negotiations with the co-chairmen on the basis of proposals that are already on the negotiating table and are known to everyone."