US STATE SECRETARY CONFIRMED AGREEMENTS TO SETTLE KARABAKH CONFLICT HAD BEEN REACHED IN KEY WEST

PanARMENIAN.Net - Rather good results were achieved in Key West and the world expected more serious advancement in the Nagorno Karabakh peace settlement. US Secretary of State Colin Powell stated at budgetary hearings in the committee on foreign financing of the US Senate. As reported by "Arminfo" agency referring to "Liberty" radio station, the State Secretary expressed disappointment that after Key West no progress was achieved in the conflict settlement. In his words, after returning from USA the Presidents did not take the risk of preparing the public of their countries to solving the problem, as they were not ready to do that. Experts note the US State Secretary's words refer more to Azeri President Heydar Aliyev, who stated upon his arrival from USA that no agreements had been reached in Key West. In his turn Armenian President Robert Kocharian constantly pointed out the necessity to settle the conflict within the principles, agreed upon in Key West and Paris. Nevertheless, Colin Powell stated with satisfaction that Robert Kocharian and Heydar Aliyev remain adherent to settling the conflict via exclusively peaceful means. Answering the question of one of the Senators whether Russia wished the conflict to be settled, the State Secretary said: "I think that it wishes, and we can effectively work together within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group both with the Russians and the French."