President of Azerbaijan meets with Serzh Sarkissyan - UPDATED

07.06.08

10:25

The main result of today’s Sarkissyan-Aliyev meeting in Saint Petersburg is that the sides agreed to continue talks on the basis of Madrid proposals, according to the OSCE MG Co-chair.

"The meeting was positive and constructive. The Presidents informed us that they decided to continue talks on the basis of proposals the Co-chairs presented in Madrid," Matthew Bryza said.

"We heard both sides. I can’t say that they completely agree with us. The proposals need to be improved," he added.

The U.S. mediator also informed that the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs are planning a regional visit next month.

"As to the next presidential meeting, there is no exact agreement. Everything depends on the outcomes of Foreign Ministers’ talks," Amb. Bryza said, RFE/RL reports.

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06.06.08

18:20

Novosti-Armenia reports with reference to the press service for the Armenian President that Armenian side considers the meeting of the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan Serzh Sarkissyan and Ilham Aliyev to be constructive.

"During the meeting of acquaintance the sides voiced their positions on the negotiation process and instructed the Foreign Ministers to continue talks in cooperation with the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs", noted the press service.

Another meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the two countries was held following the talks between Sarkissyan and Aliyev.

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18:10

Novosti-Armenia reports that at a press conference by results of the meeting of Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia Foreign Ministers of the two countries Elmar Mamedyarov and Edward Nalbandyan noted that Madrid proposals were not discussed at the meeting as the sides have approaches regarding these proposals, which need additional consideration.

Asked whether the Azerbaijani side rejects the initiative of transferring discussion of the Karabakh problem to any other international instances, Mamedyarov said the Minsk format exists and will continue.

In turn Nalbandyan added that the negotiation process continue and the first meeting between Sarkissyan and Aliyev does not mean that the process started from the beginning.
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17:42

Day.Az reports with reference to AzerTag that the Foreign Ministers of the two countries Elmar Mamedyarov and Edward Nalbandyan held a press conference by results of the meetings of the Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents.

They evaluated the first meeting of the presidents as positive and constructive.

It was noted that the Presidents familiarized with the approaches of the sides, gave instructions to the Foreign Ministers on the cooperation with the Minsk Group for continuation of the negotiation process.

Elmar Mamedyarov also noted that the sides wished continuation of the mediatory mission of the Minsk Group. He said currently the terms of the next visit of the co-chairs to the region are currently negotiated considering the schedules of the Presidents and Foreign Ministers. The visit is supposed to be held in late June.

"After familiarization with mutual approaches we will have to continue works on closing the positions of the parties", concluded Mamedyarov.

US co-chair Matthew Bryza also called the meeting of the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia as successful. He stressed the need to improve the proposals of the mediators considering the recommendations of both parties.

Russian co-chair Yuri Merzlyakov voiced readiness to continue cooperation for attaining definite results.

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14:50

The meeting of Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia Ilham Aliyev and Serzh Sarkissyan was held in Saint Petersburg.

The meeting was attended by the three co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group on the resolution of Nagorno Karabakh conflictt- Yuri Merzlyakov (Russia), Bernard Fassier (France) and Matthew Bryza (United States), Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia Elmar Mamedyarov and Edward Nalbandyan, personal representative of the OSCE chairman-in-office Andjey Kaspshik, according to Panorama.am.

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10:38

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev left for Saint-Petersburg for participation in the informal summit of the CIS heads of states on June 5.

In the Saint-Petersburg airport the head of state and his spouse were greeted by vice governor of Saint-Petersburg Alexander Vakhmistrov and other officials.

/Day.Az/