Co-Chairs confident of success
"This is really a very important and active diplomatic period in the Karabakh talks where leaders and mediators are working to achieve an agreement on the Karabakh conflict settlement," OSCE Minsk Group U.S. Co-Chair Robert Bradtke said in Yerevan.
On July 18, OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs Bernard Fassier of France, Robert Bradtke of the United States, and Igor Popov of Russia arrived in Yerevan to discuss Karabakh resolution with Armenian leadership.
"The White House has voiced support for the efforts of mediators and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. Both President Obama and State Secretary Hillary Clinton expressed support for our efforts," Bradtke said after a meeting with Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian.
Commenting on the allegations made after the Kazan-hosted trilateral presidential meeting, the U.S. co-chair said, "We should be careful not to jump to early conclusions and assess the situation quickly. The results of the talks will be known in a couple of weeks."
Russian Co-Chair Igor Popov reminded that Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov is in Moscow to convey Baku's answer to President Dmitry Medvedev.
I think that we shall discuss the issue during our meetings in Yerevan. I also hope to get Armenia's answer in the coming days," said Popov.
For his part, the French co-chair noted that the Minsk Group is today completing its mission which started a week ago in Moscow.
"We left Moscow for Vilnius to meet with the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius Ažubalis and analyze the outcome of the Kazan-hosted trilateral presidential meeting. We all stressed the necessity to continue the work. Later we left for Baku to meet with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister and President," said Fassier.
The French co-chair asserted that their planned visit to Karabakh had been cancelled due to NKR President's Bako Sahakyan's absence. Instead, the mediators seized the opportunity to visit Garni, Geghard and have a good time.
