Merzlyakov: OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs have not received response on initiative of Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia meeting

The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen have not received response from the sides in regard to the initiative of the meeting in January of Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia, the OSCE Minsk Group Russian co-chairman Yuri Merzlyakov told Trend exclusively.

Replying the question concerning the Armenian President’s statement that the mediators proposed to hold the next meeting at the level of the heads of states in January, Merzlyakov said, “We sent a letter (to Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan) with the request to receive us in mid-December. There are also other proposals in it. But they are only proposals, however, I cannot say, what will be the reaction on them”.

The Russian mediator expressed hope, that the response on it will be given by the sides at the meeting in Ljubljana scheduled for 5-6 December of the co-chairmen with the Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia. According to him, the co-chairs are likely to meet with the Ministers separately. It is rather difficult to hold a joint meeting even for 2 hours due to the intense schedule of the both Ministers in the framework of the international forums and 15 minutes do not suit us, Merzlyakov added. В"Therefore, we will meet individually, we will set for our proposals, listen to each of them”, he said and noted the possibility of the informal joint meeting of the co-chairs with the Ministers.