YEREVAN (A1+–RFE/RL)–Armenian foreign minister Vartan Oskanian on Wednesday summed up 2004–saying that Armenia had both sudden surges as well as falls–achievemen’s along with failures.
Speaking about negotiations on the Mountainous Karabagh conflict–he stressed the importance of maintaining political stability in Armenia in order to advance that process.
Convinced that certain progress has been registered during negotiations–he said–"Today–we are at more advantageous position than were in 1997," but cautioned that the success of those negotiations is not a forgone conclusion.
"What we are trying to do today–and I see the possibilities of that–is to get the international community to recognize the Mountainous Karabagh people’s right to self-determination with an agreement resolving the problem," he told a news conference on Wednesday. "The implementation of that self-determination may not necessarily be immediate."
The Armenian and Azeri foreign ministers are expected to resume their face-to-face meetings in the Czech capital next month.