"We had a very fruitful meeting with the newly elected President of Nagorno Karabakh. We got a lot of interesting information. The first contact was a success," OSCE Minsk Group Russian Co-chair, Ambassador Yuri Merzlyakov told a news conference in Yerevan today.

"Yerevan meetings with President Kocharian and Foreign Minister Oskanian also produced effect. We suppose that our trip to Baku will give impetus to the process and the meetings with the Azeri leadership will be also efficient," the Russian diplomat said.

For his part, French Ambassador Bernard Fassier said the possibility of a presidential meeting may appear after meetings in Baku. The forthcoming presidential elections in both states cannot suspend the negotiation process. The Presidents can meet if there is a necessity," Mr Fassier said.