AZERBAIJAN, ARMENIA SEEKING TO CONTINUE TALKS – US OFFICIAL
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
March 17 2006
Baku, March 16, AssA-Irada
The talks on settling the long-standing Armenia-Azerbaijan Upper
(Nagorno) Garabagh conflict are not stagnant, Armenian media quoted the
US Department of State Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian
Affairs Daniel Fried as saying.
Fried told a news briefing in Yerevan that judging by the meetings
held between the two countries’ leaders so far, it could be concluded
with confidence that the peace process will continue.
“The two presidents are decisively defending their national interests,”
said Fried.
The discussions held by the two leaders in the French town of
Rambouillet in February turned out fruitless, as the parties failed
to iron out issues of principle, which was followed by mutual threats.
The US official went on to say that prior to his visit to the region,
he and the American co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group brokering the
conflict settlement, Steven Mann, met with the two other mediators
from Russia and France and obtained their full support. The Assistant
Secretary dismissed the assumptions that there are discrepancies
among the intermediaries.
Steven Mann speaking at the news briefing concurred that the Azeri
and Armenian heads of state are interested in moving the peace process
forward. “The United States is ready to support their efforts by all
means,” he added.