The Karabakh talks have entered a highly responsible and crucial stage, said Vahram Atanesyan, the chair of the NKR National Assembly Committee of External Relations.

According to him, the notable thing about the recent meeting of the OSCE foreign ministers in Madrid was the participation of the foreign ministers of Russia, France and the U.S. assistant secretary of state, which is evidence to the importance of this stage.

"It should be noted that some time before the meeting first the president of Armenia than the president of Azerbaijan visited Paris, and there is information that the settlement of the Karabakh problem was discussed in the meeting with the French president. I think not just the issue but the current stage and the perspectives of settlement were discussed in those meetings, since the current methodology of the talks has replaced the principles of Paris on which the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan had seemingly reached agreement. However, Heidar Aliyev's death and the election of Ilham Aliyev modified these principles. I think the principles that the parties currently offer to the sides differ essentially from the ones worked out with France, i.e. with the EU. Considering the recent statements by the EU's representative for the South Caucasus and the recommendations of the ICG report to the European community, the talks on Karabakh have reached a crucial point," he said.

"Depending on the political boldness of the sides, their readiness for compromise, this crucial period may transform into agreement on the main items, which may cause escalation of the conflict," Vahram Atanesyan noted, Karabakh Open reports.