Outcomes of this meeting (which is most likely the last one in the passing year) of the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan Robert Kocharian and Ilham Aliyev were rather humble. This is how Head the Department of Issues in International Relations of the Institute of Political and Military Analysis Sergey Markedonov commented on the outcomes of the meeting of Armenian and Azeri Presidents in Minsk to a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. In his words, the outcomes of the Minsk talks reminded those of meetings in London, Rambouillet and Bucharest.
«After the Minsk meeting Azeri President Ilham Aliyev stated that at the meeting it was managed to agree over matters not agreed upon before and «we are approaching the final stage of talks over settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.» At the same time the Azeri leader recognized there are «principal issues, over which opinions of the parties differ.» In the analyst’s words, most likely Aliyev Jr. meant the refugee issue, as well as that of territories. «And naturally the issue on the status of Karabakh itself. As different from his colleague the Armenian President preferred to take a pause to think over the situation available,» Markedonov noted.
