As APA reports, the US co-chair returning to Yerevan told that Kocharian was quite open with him.

"The talks I had with him will help in preparing recommendations for other co-chairs," Matthew Bryza said.

The co-chair said the meeting with Kocharian even encouraged him to continue this process. Stressing that there is a chance to reach peace agreement in 2006, Mr.Bryza said he believes possibility of working and achieving success in electoral period as well.

"The parties cannot demonstrate political will to make a trade-off," said Bryza adding that after meeting with Kocharian he realized that the proposals offered by the Minsk Group are rather acceptable for Armenia.

Commenting on the future status of Nagorno Karabakh, Bryza said the co-chairs admit that the status of Nagorno Karabakh is to be determined by its population, "Participation of the people, who lived there till 1988, in this process is the constituent part of a large peace plan."

The US co-chair is paying a one-day visit to the Azerbaijani capital, Baku tomorrow. He is due to meet with President Ilham Aliyev, Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and head of the Azerbaijani community of Nagorno Karabakh Nizami Bahmanov. Bryza is not planning to hold a press conference in Baku.

The Minsk Group co-chairs will meet in Paris early next week. The co-chairs mediating in the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh will discuss Bryza's visit in the region.