Azerinews,
14, May 2008
By Lala Alizadeh & Rustam Abdul-Aliyev

Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Serzh Sarkisian will hold the next round of talks on the Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict in June, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov has said.

He told journalists on Monday that agreement to that end was reached at the May 6 familiarization meeting with his newly-appointed Armenian counterpart Eduard Nalbandian in Strasbourg where the sides agreed to continue peace talks.

Presidents Aliyev and Sarkisian will meet for the first time on the sidelines of an international economic forum in St. Petersburg, Russia on June 6-8.

Mammadyarov said the upcoming presidential talks were important for Azerbaijan in terms of learning the newly-elected Armenian leader's position.

"It will become clear at the meeting whether or not the new Armenian government is ready for peace"

Mammadyarov had reiterated during the Strasbourg ministerial that the long-standing dispute could be resolved strictly within Azerbaijan's territorial integrity.

He told the press after the meting held at the French representation in the Council of Europe that there were both the will and opportunities to continue peace talks. "We are two neighboring countries, and neither one of us can run away elsewhere, so we have to find a way out by seeking solutions"

The Armenian Nalbandian for his part concurred that the ministerial was constructive.

"Overall, I am very optimistic, and this is not related to today's meeting alone. We are two neighboring nations and have to coexist in peace. I believe we will be able to find a solution to the problem that emerged between our countries".

The Strasbourg discussions held on the sidelines of a plenary session of the CE Committee of Ministers were the first meeting between the two ministers. Prior to the meeting that took place with the participation of the mediating OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen the ministers had separate meetings with the mediators.

Us co-chairman of the mediating OSCE Minsk Group, Matthew Bryza, has said there were hope for a peaceful settlement to the Garabagh conflict.

"These are not baseless hopes. The presidents and ministers are getting to know each other and learning each other's positions. There are grounds for us to arrange these talks. We hope the accomplishing results upon the agreements reaches are quite realistic. But the decision is up to the two leaders, this is their prerogative."

The conflict between the two South Caucasus republics rose up in the late 1980s due to Armenia's territorial claims. Armenia has been occupying over 20% of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory since the early 1990s. Years of peace talks have brought little tangible results. Azerbaijani officials have repeatedly warned against Armenian policy of aggression, saying the country's land will be freed at a cost.