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Matthew Bryza: â€œAzerbaijani and Armenian presidents are reaching an agreement on the ideas of the basic principles on the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflictâ€ - UPDATED

07 May 2009 16:27 (UTC +04:00)

The meeting was held in the U.S. embassy and lasted for two hours and a half. Following the meeting, OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs briefed media representatives.

American co-chair Matthew Bryza said the meeting was constructive.
â€œNegotiations were held in accordance with the basic principles of the settlement. The presidents reached agreement to hold the next meeting within the framework of the economic forum in St. Petersburg in June,â€ he said.
Matthew Bryza regarded presidentsâ€™ agreement to meet as the improvement of the process. American co-chair also said that the presidents were reaching an agreement on the ideas of the basic principles on the settlement of the conflict.

French co-chair Bernard Fassier said they expected progress in the negotiations in the upcoming months.

Russian co-chair Yuri Merzlyakov said before St. Petersburg meeting of the presidents, the mediators will meet with Azerbaijani and Armenian Foreign Ministers, visit the region to arrange the meeting of the presidents.
â€œThe date of the visit is being specified,â€ he said.

To the question â€œHow can Azerbaijanis and Armenians confide in Russia that recognized the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia?â€ Yuri Merzlyakov said:
â€œThe situation is quite different. The situation in the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh problem differs from the conflicts you mentioned.â€

Asked about St. Petersburg summit, Yuri Merzlyakov said:
â€œWe have been working on this idea for a long time. But it is very difficult to bring together three presidents. But if there is an opportunity to bring together the presidents of three co-chairing countries within the framework of a meeting, we will surely try to use this opportunity,â€ he said.

Asked about the compromises of the parties, the co-chairs said no one wants to compromise unless all items of the settlement are agreed.

Along with the co-chairs, Foreign Ministers and personal representative of OSCE chairman-in-office Andrzej Kasprzyk also attended the meeting.