Baku is pleased with the U.S. Co-Chair
"Azerbaijan and Armenia focus on the Basic Principles of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict's resolution," Minsk group U.S. Co-Chair Matthew Bryza said in Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev received Deputy Assistant U.S. Secretary of State for South Caucasus and Central Asia and OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair Matthew Bryza on April 15.
According to Azeri mass media, President Aliyev and Co-Chair Matthew Bryza exchanged views on the resolution of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
The U.S. Co-Chair said the meeting was constructive and friendly.
"We discussed our joint efforts within the Minsk group to resolve the few key remaining differences on the Basic Principles, which would outline a just and balanced settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh settlement that involves return of territories and displaced persons, a sense of security for all residents of Nagorno-Karabakh and the other territories, restored transit links and international guarantees," Bryza said.
Note that Azerbaijani FM Elmar Mammadyarov met US co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Matthew Bryza on Thursday morning.
We discussed talks on the peaceful resolution of the Karabakh conflict, touching upon the established situation in this process. New factors and positions have appeared in the region", said Mammadyarov.
He noted that during the meeting the sides also touched upon the issue of possible opening of borders between Turkey and Armenia.
"Our position is that Azerbaijan does not interfere with the internal affairs of the third states. But, on the other hand, if Armenian forces are not withdrawn from the Azerbaijani lands, this will undoubtedly contradict to the national interests of Baku", said Elmar Mammadyarov.
The Minister also noted that the Prague negotiation process on the peaceful resolution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno Karabakh conflict envisions the phased settlement of the existing problems in frames of which there might be applied different steps.
"This phased process certainly envisions withdrawal of Armenian forces from the Azerbaijani occupied lands. During the meeting with Matthew Bryza we held discussions including on the withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces", noted the Azeri FM.
