Azeri, Armenian presidents meet in Astana
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Sept 17 2004
The Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents held a four-hour meeting
in Astana, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, following a trilateral meeting
attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
President Ilham Aliyev gave a positive assessment to the meeting.
“I believe that the meetings of the two countries’ foreign ministers
held on a permanent basis with participation of the (OSCE) Minsk
Group are positive.”
Aliyev admitted that the two presidents cannot say anything specific
as to what they had discussed behind closed doors.
“We always have to confine ourselves to very general phrases, and
there will be no exception today, because the process is extremely
important.”
The Armenian leader Robert Kocharian told journalists that the
presidents have clarified certain positions and standpoints.
“Now we have to take time to find out where we stand”, he said.
The process of negotiations concerning the resolution of the Upper
Garabagh conflict is “underway,” Kocharian said. He admitted, however,
that “we can’t boast of anything special.”
The Armenian President said that the two sides approach the dialogue
“with patience”.
“We are discussing complex problems that we have inherited”, he said.
Assessing the meeting as a step forward, Russian President Vladimir
Putin expressed his confidence that the two countries’ presidents
will arrive at common decision on the issue.*
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress