CHISINAU, Moldova (Reuters)—The presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia held “constructive” talks on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict on Thursday and will meet again soon, the US Co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group said.
Success in the talks in the Moldovan capital has been seen as a key to easing the way for a restoration of relations between Armenia and Turkey.
Minsk Group US Co-chairman Robert Bradtke said the meeting between Azeri President Ilham Aliyev and Armenia’s Serzh Sarkisian continued “a positive dynamic in the discussions”.
“The discussions were serious and constructive. They have agreed to meet again in the near future,” he told reporters.
The Russian co-chair Yuri Merzlyakov said the next meeting between the two men would be “relatively soon”.
Aliyev and Sarkisian were due to stay on in Chisinau on Friday when they will meet Russian President Dmitry Medvedev as part of a summit of Commonwealth of Independent States.
Analysts said the outcome of Thursday’s talks in Chisinau was important in terms of a scheduled meeting in Zurich on Saturday when Armenia and Turkey are scheduled to sign the protocols to establish and develop relations.
Merzlyakov, answering a reporter’s question, said the planned Zurich meeting between Armenia and Turkey did not crop up in the Chisinau talks.
French co-chair Bernard Fassier, speaking in Russian, said the Minsk process was independent and “without links to other processes.”
Aliyev and Sarkisian posed, unsmiling, for cameras at the start of talks which were held at the residence of the U.S. ambassador.
A Turkish parliamentarian, speaking before Thursday’s talks, said it would be difficult to secure parliamentary approval in Turkey for any normalization of ties with Armenia if the talks on Karabakh did not show progress.
The Armenian Military Force has to take over the goverment. Sarkisian is a lier…….
It is a farce.
It appears that Armenian President tried from his tour to bring home some resources for purchasing help of Russia. Politics is not driven by talking and writing comments in these boxes. Russia kept until the very end. And let the deal go.
It seems that the decisive side was the USA. It might happened, that Sargsyan was watched in all his moves and actions during his stay, so to prevent any positive tangible outcome from his visit.
So, it is the farce!
I am praying has learned how to play the game. Keep talking, take picturesand agree to meet again, but
concede nothing. The Turks are playing an interesting game of satisfying the conservative community in their country; while appearing to be progressive.Note the comments by the Turkish parliamentarian…. difficult to aprrove without “progress” in the Karabagh talks. What is progress? Percieved or real? This is a poker game to see who blinks first. Concede nothing and let the Turk’s internal division play out. They have already done a good job with us by making this out to be an Armenia vs. diaspora debate. In fact our naive Armenian government has greatly facilitated this perception with this superficial diasporan tour. When youknow there
is significant oppositionand you have no intention of changing anything; then what is the intent?
Karabgh is still the key. Even with the signing on the 10th, there will significant foot dragging to promote the “non- pre-conditions”. We must make sure that the Turks are viewed as the delaying(and denying)party. It’s time we start to win the public realtions battle.
Somebody please stop this guy (Serge) talking to Azeris, as he trying to sell Armenia he will also sell ARTSAKH.
He’s already sold Armenia and Artsakh, we the Diaspora DO NOT exist for him or Nalbandian!!!!!
Pres. Serz Sarkisian is mentally sick and must be removed from office. We didn’t lose 15,000 soldiers & people in the Karabagh war against the Azeri’s to give back our historic lands back to them. The world forgets that it was Stalin of the Soviet Union whom gave away 3 parcels of Armenian Territory away to the Georgians & the Azeri’s back in 1922. These territories must be returned, but it must be understood that after the 1st World War when the Treaty of Sevres was signed by Turkey & Armenia along with 16 other nations, the allies betrayed Armenia and did nothing to protect our territories until we got back on our feet after going thru a Genocide of 2 million of our people and another 1 million dispersed from our homeland. Again, the U.S. and the NATO nations are betraying us again and unless the Armenian People make changes in our Politicle way of doing things, there will be no Armenia in the future.