THERE IS POSSIBILITY TO COMBINE PACKAGE AND STEPWISE VARIANTS OF KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT

The package and stepwise variants of the Karabakh conflict settlements can be combined in a third one admissible for the conflicting parties, Russian co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Yuri Merzlyakov told Liberty. “I spoke about it still in September 2003, when was on a familiarization visit in the region. Today the co-chairs are trying to work out a proposal allowing to combine the incompatible that is the “package” and “stepwise” variants of settlement. I suppose there is such a possibility”, he said. At the same time the Russian diplomat stated that this issue has been an insuperable hindrance so far. According to him, the Azeri part is insisting on the return of the “seized” territories, while Armenia claims for the determination of Nagorno Karabakh’s status. Yuri Merzlyakov is optimistical that there exists a way-out of this desperate situation. “I believe in the possibility of such a variant, otherwise all our efforts will be vain. I think if the parties to conflict show good will it would give us the chance to come over the contradictions of stands they have taken,” -Russian diplomat said.