Bradke: “U.S. will spare no effort”
President of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Bako Sahakyan met Sunday in Stepanakert with the U.S. Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, Ambassador Robert Bradtke and the officials accompanying him to discuss the current stage of Karabakh conflict settlement process.
President Sahakyan said the position of official Stepanakert on the settlement of relations with Azerbaijan remains unchanged: the conflict cannot be resolved without direct dialogue between Azerbaijan and Artsakh. He also emphasized that progress is possible only in case Azerbaijan gives up its non-constructive and aggressive approach to the problem.
At the same time the President underlined that independence and security of Artsakh are not subjects to any speculations and any attempt to ignore this will make impossible comprehensive settlement of the conflict.
Robert Bradtke, for his part, stated that military solution of the conflict is absolutely unacceptable.
Armenian-Turkish relations were discussed at the meeting too. It was mentioned that the Armenian-Turkish and Azerbaijani-Karabakh relations were separate and unrelated processes.
Following the meeting the U.S. mediator told journalists that his regional visit was planned within the framework of the upcoming meeting of Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan and he sought to hear the position of the Karabakh leadership and people.
"The USA wants to see progress in the negotiations over the Karabakh conflict settlement. In 2010 the USA will spare no effort to help Karabakh people leave a peaceful and propseprous life in the future," said Mr. Bradtke.
The U.S. official added that both the Karabakh people and authorities should be kept aware of the talks between Armenian and Azerbaijani leaderships.
