NAGORNO KARABAKH - PARTY TO CONFLICT INDISPUTABLY, RUSSIAN MEDIATOR CONSIDERSDecember 8, 2003 - 19:21 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Nagorno Karabakh is a party to conflict, and it is impossible to deny this fact, OSCE Minsk Group co-chair Yuri Merzlyakov told journalists in Stepanakert yesterday. At the same time he noted that the international mediators for Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement should not be urged to reconsider the format of the negotiations, for it is the prerogative of the conflicting sides. At that, the Russian diplomat refuted the reports by the Azeri press that first deputy to the Russian foreign minister Vyacheslav Trubnikov during his visit to Baku stated Armenia as an aggressor. "It is only the fantasy of an Azeri journalist", - he said. To remind, yesterday OSCE co-chairs Yuri Merzlyakov (Russia), Rudolf Perina (US) and Anri Jakolen (France) negotiated with Nagorno Karabakh President Arkadi Ghukasian, who stated about NKR's readiness for talks on all the issues without any preconditions. It should be also noted that before leaving Nagorno Karabakh, French co-chair Anri Jakolen paid a short visit to the town of Shushi, though the visit has not been planned. The co-chair did not meet with anyone in Shushi, but got acquainted with the town's places of interest. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Pashinyan’s spokesperson denies intention to visit Baku for COP29 Pashinyan’s agenda doesn’t include a trip to Baku for the COP29 conference, his press secretary Nazeli Baghdasaryan has said. Lithuania sending €100,000 to help Armenia fight floods consequences Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan took to social media to thank his Lithuanian counterpart for the contribution. Armenia: Rescue workers restore pedestrian bridge for flood-hit community Rescue workers on Wednesday, June 5 restored a pedestrian bridge in the town of Alaverdi in Armenia’s north. Turkey condemns Uruguay’s recognition of Armenian Genocide Turkey has condemned a newly passed law in Uruguay that recognizes the Armenian Genocide, TRT reports. |