Public Television of Armenia
Jan 28 2009
Armenian, Azeri leaders note "dynamism", "progress" in Karabakh talks
– minister
[Presenter] The Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents, Serzh Sargsyan
and Ilham Aliyev, had a meeting in Zurich [Switzerland] today. The
first phase of the meeting was held by the two countries’ foreign
ministers, with the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen and the personal
representative of the OSCE chairman-in office in attendance. A
tete-a-tete meeting between the presidents, which lasted for an hour,
continued at an expanded format later.
[Haylur correspondent Artak Aleksanyan reporting from Zurich] The
Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents arrived in Zurich airport an hour
apart from each other. The Armenian president arrived in Zurich
airport first and then Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived. The
Azerbaijani delegation was informed that Armenia marks the 17th
anniversary of the Armenian armed forces today.
The meeting between the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents [at an
expanded format] lasted for more than two hours., The OSCE Minsk Group
co-chairmen and the personal representative of the OSCE
chairman-in-office also joined the presidents following the
tete-a-tete meeting. After the meeting, the two countries’ foreign
ministers noted dynamism in the negotiating process. The meeting that
lasted for more than two hours was productive.
[Armenian Foreign Minister Edvard Nalbandyan speaking in Russian with
overlaid Armenian translation] The two presidents noted that there was
dynamism from the standpoint of these meetings’ regular nature and
that there is progress from the standpoint that both presidents much
better understand each other’s positions and the current difficulties.
[Correspondent] Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov noted
that it was still early to sign a framework agreement. On the other
hand, there remains three or four questions which should also be
agreed.
[Mammadyarov speaking in Russian with overlaid Armenian translation]
There was mutual understanding between the two sides. However, there
are some questions which have not yet been agreed. Meetings held
between the two presidents are aimed at resolving these
questions. This is a process [during which] we should move ahead,
because there is no other way.
[Nalbandyan] Indeed, the talk is about drawing up the settlement
principles. After an agreement is reached on the main settlement
principles, the sides will start working out a basic document.