Ariel Cohen: It is time for a real breakthrough in Nagorno-Karabakh problem

It is preferable for the sides of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to talk to each other, then exchange fire, Ariel Cohen, a prominent Washington expert on the Eurasia and the Caucasus, believes. Cohen is a Member of TREND Expert Council and the head of Eurasian studies at the Heritage Foundation.

"However, after all these years it is a high time for a real breakthrough, which would include Armenia recognizing Madrid principles, restoration of Azerbaijani sovereignty over the seven districts outside of Karabakh, and arriving at an agreed-upon future for Nagorno Karabakh", - Cohen said.

The summit of the Presidents of Azerbaijan, Russia and Armenia ended without reaching an agreement on the basic principles of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement, but the sides mentioned the progress towards this goal, a joint statement after the summit in Kazan said, RIA Novosti reported.

The Presidents Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, Dmitry Medvedev of Russia and Serzh Sargsyan of Armenia discussed the basic principles of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement on Friday in Kazan.

"The Heads of State highlighted the achievement of mutual understanding on a number of issues, the solution of which contributes to creating conditions to approve the basic principles," said the statement.

The document says that the meeting participants reviewed the activities conducted to agree upon the project of basic principles.


/Trend/