RUPEL TO CONVEY ALIYEV’S MESSAGE TO KOCHARIAN

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During today’s joint press conference with Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian OSCE Chairman-in-Office Dimitrij Rupel reiterated that he is to convey Ilham Aliyev’s message to Robert Kocharian.

When asked what kind of message it is Mr. Rupel said, “Presently I cannot say anything. I’ll do it during the meeting with the Armenian President”. He also noted that the closing of positions of Armenia and Azerbaijan on Nagorno Karabakh is evident. “Though the positions are close at the principal level they differ in details”, he noted.

In his turn Vartan Oskanian noted that “real problems will begin when details are revealed. The journalists asked when the negotiations within the Minsk Group format will start and when Karabakh will be able to act as a party to conflict. Omitting the second part of the question Mr. Rupel said, “The Minsk Group is lively, active and is awaiting the Presidents’ instructions. The Co-Chairs also suggest new ideas. Vartan Oskanian in his turn said, “When the President’s proceed to details the necessity of restoration of the Minsk process will arouse and at this stage Karabakh will join the negotiations.”

When asked by a foreign journalists whether the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline will impact on the Armenia-Azerbaijan negotiations, Vartan Oskanian said, “I hope that Azerbaijan’s confidence will be limited to economic development.”

When one of the Armenian reporters asked whether the outcome of the referendum on constitutional amendments can influence the negotiation process D. Rupel said that the constitutional reforms are carried out with good intentions and proceed in the correct direction.”